


Ghost Stories (Adventures of the Watson and Friends Paranormal Investigators)

by Holmgren13



Category: Original Work
Genre: Anal Sex, Gay, Ghost Hunters, Hypnotism, M/M, Oral Fixation, Oral Sex, Paranormal, Paranormal Investigators, Porn With Plot, Possession, Rough Sex, horrorotica
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:27:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 34,955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27324229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Holmgren13/pseuds/Holmgren13
Summary: Paranormal investigators Join forces to check out a haunted abandoned prison. They find something, and sex happens~
Comments: 10
Kudos: 27





	1. 1st Ghostly Introductions

**Author's Note:**

> Characters belong to me and @humazawawa On twitter 
> 
> Check out his illustration of these boys here: https://twitter.com/humazawaawa/status/1322680136802594816?s=21

Summer time sucks. You’re conditioned as a child to embrace the summer in correlation with the magic of the 3-months of freedom from homework and teachers and gym class. As you get older you still cling to that hopeful feeling of freedom, but at the end of the day it’s the same shit but hotter and with more kids running around the street while you’re either busy with summer classes or the grueling work hours.

But this summer was going to be a bit different. Lui didn’t sign up for any classes, and he didn’t plan on taking a job either. He had enough left over in his scholarship funds to take a few months to explore something different. Something that might not only explore a bit about what made him HIM, but something that might even dare to be fun. 

Lui had been sitting on the curb in front of the library for almost a half an hour, his slurpy from the gas station sweating profusely and halfway empty. He straightened one leg out over the asphalt to get at the phone in his over-worn grey jeans and checked his messages. He’d been in a chat group with a couple of guys for the past week and a half planning this first outing, and now they’re all late. Not a good sign. He’s been really excited to actually share an experience of real ghost hunting with some guys who actually showed interest. Even if they end up not believing that he could actually see the ghosts for real... 

Lui Pocketed his phone once again and sighed, rubbing gingerly at his eyes. The dark skinned boy had recently replaced his designer glasses with designer contacts. He’d never tell anyone, but his image was always a big point of concern for him. Growing up he had the same amount of bullying as everyone else, but after he’d started working out, taking care of his hair and spending extra money on unique cuts, studding his ears and putting on the tough act in front of people, he got less people questioning him and more people giving him some respect. He’d decided that his glasses looked too nerdy, and wanting to have something new to make him stand out, he decided to get green colored contacts to hide his natural boring browns. He never wanted to look like he was trying though, so he avoided the gaudy chains and big watches, preferring the crisp lines in his side buzz cut, the flash of color in his studs and eyes, and some nice dark clothes. Looks like he doesn’t care, but also that he’s just a natural cool guy.

A strangely high shriek of a car horn tore Lui from his own thoughts, a large dark green van pulling into the parking lot from the main road. Lui could see someone waving from the front seat, but didn’t recognize who. He gingerly waved back and stood up from his spot and stepped back from the curb as the van pulled up and stopped in front of him. 

The front door opened heavily, and someone stepped out. “Hey! Sorry I’m late, I had to stop for gas and I had to turn back because I forgot to check the tires, and decided to top off the oil... anyways, I’m here now!” The guy was a few inches taller than Lui, and the backwards turned ball cap made him look like a frat bro. His clothes were definitely not new, except for the red sneakers which looked just about fresh out of the box, and while the white tee was stretched tightly over his chest, the faded jeans hung somewhat loosely and were worn into holes around the knees and were frayed to death at each heel. 

The guy was clean cut except for the bit of light brown scruff on his chin, and the short cut hair on his sides dragged down into some nicely shaped sideburns, but no piercings, no jewelry. He had gently tanned skin, but it looked natural like a boy who spent a little time chilling outside, nothing purposeful. His grin was a bit hopeful and goofy... it must be the baby blue eyes and light freckles across his nose that gave him that childish look despite his size.

“Uh...” Lui reached out to shake the guy’s hand, but found himself squeezed into a bear hug, his feet lifted an inch off the ground. “Hnng!! A...air...!” When he was finally dropped, Lui took a step back in defense to catch his breath!

“Lui, right? I’m Gabriel, from the ghost hunting group, or just Gabe.” Gabe grinned wide and adjusted the ball cap on his head, letting a tuft of light brown hair stick out the front. “I’m Holms online, So you could call me that too I guess. I’ve been the one leading the chat group. Come on, let’s get your bag in the back and get moving. It’s a long drive up to North Reed County.”

Lui had been shaken by the brash forward nature of the group leader, but had quickly situation himself. He quietly waited for a moment to get a word in, and glanced behind Holms at the van. Honestly it was a bit of a rapey looking thing. No windows except for the front and very back, probably something like an old work van being repurposed, but still creepy. “I’ve got it, I have some stuff in my bag for the trip. There enough room to take it with me?”

“Oh for sure.” Gabe turned and grabbed the door handle, giving a quick but ineffective tug. “We’ve got plenty of room...” He gave one more pull, the door not budging. He cleared his throat and peeked over his shoulder embarrassingly. “Heh... sorry, just a sec.” Holding the handle in one hand, Gabe gave the van a solid slam with his fist, the door popping open and sliding back with a heavy groan. “Ah! There we go.” 

Lui had raised his eyebrow and sighed. This might be a bit more of a challenging group than he’s originally thought. Not quite the serious paranormal investigative enthusiasts he had imagined. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. He stepped up to the van and tossed his backpack in before looking to the back seats. “Uh, hey Holms?” 

“Yeah buddy?” The strange guy had run around to the front of the van and stuck his head into the driver side window. 

“Where are the other guys?”

“Um, well...” Gabe drummed his hands nervously on the door. “See the thing is... The other guys called me yesterday and said they couldn’t make the trip. They always call off the last minute, and we never actually get to go on trips... so when you joined the group and hadn’t called off, I was so excited, I didn’t want you to say you couldn’t go if you knew the other guys couldn’t...” 

“Uhhhg...” Lui pinched the bridge of his nose. He knew this group was too good to be true. “So it’s just you and me, huh?” 

“Y-yeah?” 

“Going on a 5 hour drive to the middle of bum-fuck nowhere.”

“Well, I was gonna stop for lunch, so more like 6?” 

“... ...” Lui stood up straight and turned away from the van, looking over to the bus stop. He should just go home, this was just a waste of time. He could be doing anything else right now, like... You know, like... 

Gabe sighed in defeat as he saw the newest member of his group turn away. He pried the door open, stepping up into the driver’s seat and slamming the door shut again, hanging his arm out the window. He was already at the library, maybe he could get a book or something. Blah, reading sucked... maybe he could find a new dvd to borrow. As he considered his options, he felt the van shift as Lui got in and pulled the door shut with a heavy slam. 

“Stop looking so damned miserable, you oaf. I’ve got nothing better going on, so let’s get this expedition on the road!” Lui grabbed his seatbelt and buckled in, allowing himself to get a little excited despite the situation. They could still have a good time, still might find something. And maybe he’ll still find someone to believe him.

Gabe was back to grinning wide and excitedly started the van, revving the engine as it kicked to life. “All right! North Reed County here we come!” 

“And I expect us to find some real evidence... I wanna show those other guys what they’re missing. So dont you make me regret coming with, you got me?”

“I gotcha buddy! Feel free to grab a granola bar from the lunch box back there, but go easy. They’re for everyone to share. Ha!” He grabbed the suicide knob on the steering wheel and cut sharply to turn around and back to the main road. 

After recovering from almost being tossed off of his seat from the sharp U-turn, Lui eyed the lunchbox and decided silently that he would get his fill of snacks after they were out of the city proper in about an hour. “It’s still a bit early for me, so I’m going to lay back for a bit. Wake me up if the van catches fire.” 

“Pft, the Paranormal Party Van flames for no one. Well, she coughs from time to time... I’m still working on tuning her up. Found it in a junkyard last summer and cleaned it up good so that we could go on these trips, but of course everyone was always busy, so I just worked more on the van. I’ve been so excited to get to this place, I just know we’re gonna find something cool. Last year-” 

Lui stretched in the seat, which seemed old but soft. Original upholstery with new padding. Not a bad feel. Reaching to the side of the seat, he found the reclining bar and pulled, letting himself lay fully back and sigh as he closed his eyes. The rocking of the old van, the slightly dusty smell, and Holm’s droning voice were actually making him a bit sleepy. “Uh huh...Sure.” He only half listened, and by the time his driver realized and turned the music up on the radio, he’d already slipped into a half slumber. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Seeing ghosts did stuff to you, especially when you’re a kid. Of course you could say that just about anything. Falling off your bike is gonna do stuff to you, but this was different because no one else could possibly understand what was going on, so no one could help. You needed to accept that realization, learn to deal with it, and move on to normal people problems that others CAN help you with. 

One thing seeing ghosts did from a very early age was give Lui very deep and convincing dreams. They were all very different, and he started to learn as time went by what they meant to some extent. If he’s sleeping around a spirit or ghost or something, the memories of that being can influence visions in his head, and he’ll see things that are fuzzy jumpy pictures, like a bad video tape, but things he doesn’t actively remember, even though they all have a gut wrenching amount of deja vu. 

Having those memories forced on you made you more susceptible to just normal dreams too. If things in the dream just seem weird, or are easily recognizable, or they dont make ANY sense and dont FEEL like that should, then it’s just a dream. In this case, a strangely good dream. 

Lui was kissing someone. No, they were kissing him. He felt their warm breath on his neck, felt them kissing up his cheek. Their tongue grazing against his lip. He tried to lean forward, but they pulled away, teasing him. Who was it? He saw light brown hair, almost golden. No... it wasn’t Holms. Couldn’t be, he’d just met the guy. Given he was pretty cute, and that damn thick chest of his, Lui had briefly imagined what he looked like without clothes. His dream was making those thoughts into reality. 

Lui’s breath caught in his chest as that tongue slipped just past his lips, but once again like a teasing bitch it slipped away. Why was he being teased like this? He leaned forward, felt his nose bump against something damp and cold. That vision of Holms disappeared. Lui’s eyes fluttered open, his eyes slowly crossed as they tried to focus on the golden brown hair, the little black nose, the large panting tongue... 

“No...” 

Slurp.

“BLECH PTTTHP BLEH!” Lui jumped up with a start, but the safety on his belt held strong and he fell back to another mini barrage of dog kisses. “GUH STOP IT!” He waived his arms in front of him, the dog backing off, but sniffing curiously at his hands as Lui tried to push the brute away. 

“Oh, hey! G’morning.” Gabe turned the radio down and adjusted the rear view mirror to look back at his passenger. “Ah, hehe, see you’ve met my travel partner. Say hello, Watson.” 

“Arf!” The retriever wagged at his name and began excitedly looking between Holms and Lui. 

“He’s been asleep all morning, I was worried you weren’t gonna get to meet him until the first pit stop.”

“You’ve... Pthp!” Lui could taste dog breath, and wiped his tongue with his fingers before glaring over at the fur ball. “You didn’t mention Watson earlier...” 

Gabe shrugged. “You fell asleep before I could get to that part.” 

Lui gritted his teeth and slowly let his seat up as to not catch the safety on his seatbelt again. When he was finally seated upright, he felt a warm weight in his lap and looked down. Watson had crawled under the seats and was sitting in front of him now, his head resting in Lui’s lap and his big brown eyes looking up at him. Lui hesitated, but then started to pet the goober’s head. 

“You win this round, dog.” 

“Wwwwwoof~” Watson wagged and continued to just let the boy pamper him. 

“Wait... Watson? And you’re Holms? Did you seriously nickname yourself because of your dog?”

Gabe and Watson both gently tilted their heads. “What? No, my last name is Holmgren.”

“Oh.” Lui glanced over to Watson, who rested his head once again int he boy’s lap. “And Watson...?” 

“Is a good name? What are you asking?”

Lui shook his head and mentally face palmed. The guy was clueless. “Just... never mind.” He craned his neck a bit to see out the front of the van, noticing trees. “Where are we?”

“About an hour and a half out of the city. I think we’re coming up close to the Bisbee exit. Should be a rest stop in.... yeah, 15 miles. Want me to make a stop?”

Lui wiggled in his seat a bit, feeling a familiar strain in his bladder as he moved. “Yeah, probably smart. Didn’t think I’d sleep so long. Anything I miss?” 

“Just a bunch of buildings followed by bushes and trees. Hey, you haven’t had any granola bars yet, right? You wanna make this stop a lunch break? Sandwiches and all?” 

“Sure.” Lui had moved to using both hands on Watson, pulling gently at his ears to pull the scalp back and giggling at the funny faces the dog was making. “And if we’re gonna be a bit there, I can check over some of the equipment and we can come up with a general plan.”

“A plan?” Gabe glanced back through the mirror. “Man, you ARE a pro!”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It’d taken half of the day, but the van had finally pulled to a full stop outside a large half-standing iron gate, which connected to a partially crumbled stone wall standing over nine feet tall and topped with rod iron spikes decorated with leaf castings. The wall seemed to stretch on and on surrounding probably hundreds of acres of land. Parts of the wall had succumb to natural vines and moss, and there were spots where the wall had fully cracked and withered away enough that someone might be able to squeeze through. 

Gabe stepped out of the driver’s seat, leaning on the open door with his arms hanging out the window as he adjusted his hat with an impressed whistle. “Damn... this place is huge.” 

Lui decided not to kick the side door open as he had to do at the rest stop, instead crawling over the driver’s seat and stepping out from behind Gabe, covering his eyes as he looked past the gate. “So. This is the Willard Reed Correctional Facility?” Lui took a few steps towards the gate, following the driving path with his eyes up to the small collection of red brick buildings off in the distance. Everything looked old and withered. Even the road for the past few miles had been a carving of dirt dotted with square stones cut through fields of grass weaving past thick clumps of trees. The fields surrounding the building were eerily bare of the relative forest outside of the walls, but within the bunches of weeds sprouting through foot high waves of grass were dotted a number of potential future trees reaching up like boney hands. 

“Yup. Before that this was apparently a school.” Gabe remained where he was, watching Lui get closer to the gate for a better view. “I read about it all week. It was the, uh... Something something All Boys Reformatory School.” 

Lui stopped and glanced back at the van. “Reformatory School? So a prison for young boys.” Lui turned back to the gate and took a grip on the iron bar. It was very rough and rusted where the dark paint had chipped away, and with a strong shake he could feet the sheer weight of it clearly. He looked up at the thick chain hanging across the gate. “You got permission to be here, yeah?” 

“Close enough. I made some calls and the local authorities hate being called out here, so we’ve been officially asked to stay outside of the gate, and unofficially told that they don’t really give a shit as long as we don’t have to call them in to save us.” Gabe chuckled and whistled into the van, Watson jumping out and running out to roll in the grass. Gabe left the front door open as he went to the back of the van. 

“So... do you at least have a key?” Lui lifted the lock in his hand. It looked far newer than the chain, which was thick hammered iron, and was heavy just like the gate. He stepped back, put his hands in his pockets, and then turned to look back at Gabe. “... ... Oh.” 

“Yeah. Close enough.” Gabe held aloft over his shoulder a pair of bolt cutters, looking overly proud. “I bought these last year hoping we’d be breaking into haunted houses and stuff. Never been used.”

“... ... After you, Holms.” 

“My pleasure.” 

Cutting through the lock, Gabe hung the chain on one half of the fence before struggling to open the gate. He eventually recruited Lui’s help to push while he did his best to lift the gate’s dragging edge out of the dirt. It took time, and Gabe was covered in dirt and rust stains, but they were finally able to push the gate open enough to drive the van through. They piled back into the van and headed in, Gabe slapping the side of the van and whistling to call back to Watson, who pleasantly chased after them through the grass. 

Once parked just outside of the main entrance, the trio got prepared. Gabe fully opened the back of the van, pulling out a collapsing table before setting out two separate crates of gear. Lui went though the equipment he’d gone through at the past rest stop and separated out what he needed Gabe to carry and what he’d want to hold himself. Watson waited diligently and provided boundless morale support. 

Lui re-fastened his belt, now equipped with a pouch for his flashlight and his all-in-one tool, straightened up his jacket, and then glanced down at the wagging golden Lab. “So. Does he like... help? At all?” 

“Oh what, Watson? Tons!” Gabe had placed his hat down on the table and was attaching a lense to the DSLR camera. “I mean, they say dogs can sniff out the paranormal, dont they Watson?” 

“Arf!” Watson wagged more quickly at the sound of his name. 

“Yeah, okay... but who’s ‘they’?” Lui raised an eyebrow skeptically. 

“Well, you know... Some people.” 

“Some people?”

“Um...” Gabe had begun tapping the camera in his hands. He turned over to Lui, who was still looking at him, waiting for an answer. “Um... Oh, you know what? Hold on!” Gabe went back to the van and started reaching under seats until he was able to pull out what looked like a fisherman’s vest. Watson was strangely accepting of the old garment, and after a few straps were tightened and the pockets were stacked with extra batteries, water bottles, rope, and a first aid kit, Gabe stood and gestured. “There! Watson is officially helpful!” 

“Arf!” 

Lui sighed, but he had to admit that it wouldn’t be un-fun to have the dog along anyways. Even if it did compromise a bit of the integrity of the investigation. “Fine fine. Watson and Holms can remain a team. Now...” He moved the equipment crates to one side and unfolded the crude hand-drawn map of the building based on the half-baked blueprints they found online, laying it over the table and flattening it out as best as possible. “Plan is to go right in from the front and straight back to the holding facilities. We’ve got some tools to get through any closed doors, but everything should have been left open for safety. A lot of activity in stuff like jails are either found in the holding cells where the inmates spend most of their time, or in the medical office. Either way we need to head down the central corridor. We’ll use some sensors in the main holding area, take some pictures, and then make our way with the laser thermometers. If we end up split apart, we’ve got the radios. We’ll call the van ‘base one’ and the holding cells ‘base two’ in case we need to re-group.” 

“Why not just call it the van and the holding cells?” 

Because that’s not as cool. “Because if anyone else is listening to the radio, they wont be able to decipher our location. Okay?” Lui turned towards the entrance of the abandoned prison for young boys turned prison for young men. “Let’s go.” 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The building had looked old from the outside, but from inside it looked downright ancient. Broken windows and cracked seals had allowed water to seep into the walls over the decades of neglect, and the paint on the walls were cracked, the chips curled up on themselves and falling off in bits to expose cold grey stone. The floors were covered in dust, and in some places where the stained laminate was cracked there was grass pushing up from the ground deep underneath the concrete foundation. 

Streaks of light from the broken windows shone like beacons across the old building, dust kicked up by Lui and Gabe’s footsteps lighting up the beams of their flashlights as they explored the corners of the rooms. There was still some remaining furniture from the day, but every bit of wood was rotted and swollen, the leather backing of the reception chairs pulled back to reveal riveted steel plates holding the old shape. 

The door leading into the holding area was made of thick heavy wood that needed to be wrenched open with a small crowbar from the warping, and right behind it was a barred door held shut by a mechanically controlled hinge lock. It took the boys a few minutes of backtracking to find that one of the nearby offices housed a heavy lever that controlled the door. It looked like despite the lack of modern equipment, they kept the place locked down tight. Gabe actually needed to return to the van for a small sledge and a can of oil to lube up the old device, but they were finally able to pull the lever down, which unlocked the final barricade in their way. 

The holding cells were viciously cold despite the relatively warm weather outside, flat iron bars stretching both vertically and horizontally across each cell with just enough room to reach an arm in, the walls all made of the same thick stone slabs. They were very strange, however, in their size and shape. They seemed to have been bedrooms at one point converted into cells by the new owners. It wasn’t just the cold sending shivers down their spines as they explored this hallway. 

As Gabe busied himself setting up the thermal camera to record the room and taking pictures of each of the cells and any remaining furniture they could find, Lui decided to try to get to some real work. True, Gabe might get lucky to spot some orbs or something in the flashes of the digital camera, Lui knew for a fact that he wouldn’t see any real ghosts with that thing. Besides, Lui would actually see anything really interesting before any equipment could pick it up. He could, however, look for traces of potential hauntings. Holding his flashlight in his teeth, Lui pulled out his laser thermometer. Ghosts traveling leave cold spots detectable by the thermometer, and if you can find enough spots to make out a trail, you might be able to find out the pattern. Ghosts don’t usually think very much, and follow a patterned movement day and night. You just need to find, and follow. 

Lui made his way from cell to cell checking each wall, not finding anything telling. He glanced back once he was at the next door and instead of yelling down the deep echoing corridor, he pulled up his radio. “Check check, Holms do you receive?”

He watched Gabe grab his radio as he leaned out of one of the cells he was taking pictures in, the red power light illuminating his face. “Go for Holms. Over.”

The beep from each call and response echoed far more than their voices, but couldn’t be helped. Lui got back on his radio. “I’m going to move ahead to the medical room for a look around, and then see if i can find the hall that leads to the enclosed courtyard.” 

“10-4. Do you want me to come with? Over?”

Lui rolled his eyes at the poorly attempted radio lingo. “Nah, make sure everything is thoroughly documented. If we dont hear from each other, let’s meet back here at base 2 by 5pm. That should give us time to make some final plans of attack before it gets too dark.” 

“... ... ...” 

“... ...” Lui sighed. “Over.” 

“10-4 good buddy! I’ll call ya if I need ya. Over.” 

Lui made his way further into the building, trying to remember the map they’d studied before coming in. He continued taking readings as he made his way down large hallways, making mental notes of places he’d want photographed before they left. Things were starting to get eerily quiet when he started hearing Gabe’s voice from the holding cells. His voice sounded steady and matter of fact, and after being still a few moments, Lui realized the guy was just talking to Watson. What a weird guy, but Lui couldn’t help but chuckle a bit and feel a bit more at ease hearing Gabe’s voice from afar. 

The medical room was terrifying. Well, it would have been to most other people. Lui took a very practical approach, even with his thorough knowledge of ghosts’ true nature. Multiple medical beds were still present, their steel frames draped with shreds of what used to be cheap medical mattresses, dark almost black leather straps hanging at the sides for the wrists and ankles. The few drawers and cupboard that haven’t fallen from their hinges held no secrets, all of them throughly emptied. The stained walls has all been clearly a uniform sterile white, now dripped with stripes of mold, dust, and rot. The steel mirrors warped and covered in dust, the sink torn from the wall and left as raw pipe protrusions, everything was exactly what you’d expect of an old building. Ghosts or no. 

Lui continued on, exploring down a new hallway heading towards what used to be a courtyard for the boys to let out their energy, and later as a workout yard for inmates. As he made his way down the halls, however, Lui stopped and checked his readings once again. The temperature was much warmer than it had been in the holding cells in general, but as the laser pointed off towards the courtyard, it took a sudden dip. Lui took some sample temperatures up and down the hall before checking again towards the courtyard, and once again it dipped quickly. 

He quickly followed the hall, holding his flashlight in one hand to make sure he didn’t trip over the uneven flooring, but his eyes were glued to the thermometer, watching for any further dips. As he neared the courtyard, the temperature warmed again. Lui moved his thermometer around the room slowly and found the cold spot had turned into a doorway. Quickly moving into this new room, Lui glanced around and found himself in what looked like it must have been an old locker room. Most of the lockers had been removed, the spots on the floor discolored where there used to be large steel shelves, but against one wall where they were fully bolted down and into the wall, a line of lockers remained. Maybe it held equipment for the courtyard, or maybe it was where security guards held their gear. Either way, this was definitely something important. Lui found the cold trail leading to one of the lockers, which was dented in a bit more than the others and stopped. He placed his hand to the locker and noted that it was ice cold. 

“Gotcha.” Lui put away the thermometer and held his flashlight once again in his teeth as he fetched out his phone to take a picture of the locker and the name. ‘Warner Lawton’. He tried to pull the locker open, but it was locked, so he decided he’d need to get Gabe to bring the crowbar. He pocketed his phone and grabbed for his radio. “Holms, do you receive?” 

“...”

“Holms do you receive OVER?” Lui released the call button and muttered under his breath, “Asshole...” He waited a while, but the other line was still silent. He walked into the hall and clicked the call button a few times before going back once more. “Holms, are you reading me at all? I need an assist, over.” 

“...” 

Lui tapped at his radio anxiously. Maybe the radio wa just having difficulty with signals through such an old building, though it should work fine. They’re not cheap things, they have strong signals. He began to walk back, and found himself picking up the pace until he was jogging down the halls back towards the holding cells. He passed the medical bay and quickly shined his light across the large hall of cells, not spotting Gabe or noticing any flashes from the camera. 

“Holms?” Lui’s voice echoed off of the cold walls as he continued moving quickly down the large corridor. He was going to try the van next, but he heard a whimper and weak bark coming from a cell. He turned his flashlight and noticed Watson standing in the cell with his tail tucked between his legs nervously bouncing between his front paws as he stared across the cell. “Watson? What is it, boy? Where’s Holms?” Lui stepped in and followed Watson’s gaze with his light. “What the...?”

Under the steel bed frame bolted to the wall, a stone slab seemed to have been pulled and dragged out to reveal a secret tunnel. Lui walked over and went onto his knees before laying fully down on his stomach and shifting to the hole, shining his light down. There was a deep enough hole to have a good fall before it turned off somewhere under the building. Watson’s rope was tied to one of the legs of the bed and hung down, bundled up at the bottom. 

Lui felt something shift next to him, and with a start he looked up only to find Watson nervously looking down the hole alongside him. “... ... Holms went down there, didn’t he?” 

Watson whimpered, looking up at Lui almost pleadingly. 

“Shit... maybe that’s why his radio isn’t working.” He turned back to the hole. “Holms!? You down there!?” He and Watson both turned their heads to listen, Watson’s floppy ear gently raising as they waited for a response. Nothing came. “Dammit... I’m gonna need to go look for him. This is SO not safe.” 

Lui turned and worked his feet first down the hole. He tried reaching down to the bottom, his feet moving back and forth until they found a grip to stand on, and slowly made his way into the hole. Watson whimpered and turned in a circle before giving a loud nervous “Arf!” 

“Dont worry Wats. It’s not that deep, and I wont go far. You stay here and do your job.” 

Watson tilted his head with a curious whimper. 

“You know... provide boundless morale support.” If Lui weren’t about to delve into the depths of the unknown underneath an abandoned prison, he might have laughed at Watsons’s look. He swore the dog showed a strange mix of disdain for the implications of being just morale support and pride of being such a good morale support. What a weird dog. Lui reached over to grab the rope as he lowered himself, but found more than adequate hand holes carved into the firm walls of the tunnel distanced well for his hands and feet. He climbed down carefully, and once at the bottom, shined his light through the darkness. “Oh fuck.” 

The tunnel was a short run that looked carved out of the ground, but lead right through a stone wall where a heavy amount of brick was punched out, and was then a large dark stone halfway leading off in two directions. Some kind of secret path under the building... he was sure the blueprints they’d found mentioned nothing about any subterranean floors. 

“Holms!?” Lui listened for a bit, but once again there was no response. He contemplated which way to go for a while, and then a thought occurred to him. He quickly picked up his radio and began clicking the call button. His radio chirped loudly, and beyond its own echos he could just make out a similar chipping down the hall. “Bingo.” 

Lui held out his light and quickly made his way towards where he could hear Gabe’s radio chirping. He was worried as to why Holms was keeping so quiet. Did he fall? Was he hurt? Was he just being a dick looking to give him a scare? That better not be the case. Not after he’d come all this way for some real investigating. Not after he’s found real traces of a ghost roaming the halls. Not after... 

“Oh fu-...” 

Lui found Gabe. And he wasn’t alone. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Lui stood in silence as he registered the sight before him. The light from his flashlight shone down the hall against the back of Gabriel, who stood unmoving except for his shivering hands and slowly shifting head. The camera he’d brought hung heavily around his neck, and his flashlight lay on the ground at his feet. Anyone else would have believed he may be having a light seizure or a panic attack, but Lui saw more than most people. 

Slipping in and out of the light, flicking in and out of vision like a pale fire that shed no light, whisping like smoke in the shape of faceless grimaced skulls were no less than three ghosts. Making only the sound of soft shallow breaths they moved around Gabe’s head, taking turns taking invisible bites of his essence, their long tongues dripping with ectoplasmic fluids slipping across his skin and across his face, dipping into his ears, over his eyes, and even past his lips. As he moved around Gabe’s still form, Lui witnessed one of the ghosts pushing his grossly large tongue past his loosely parted lips, opening his jaw, his throat slowly bulging as it pushed deeply inside. The one around his ear was beginning to push deeper as well. 

Lui had seen ghosts act in strange ways before, but this was a strange perverted act. He wasn’t quite sure the best way to handle them without getting Gabe in any trouble. Sometimes ghosts will flee the moment they’re seen, others will attempt to lash out with icy claws that chill to the bone but don’t do any real damage over short periods. What they’re doing to Gabe, however, was new. They hadn’t noticed the light being shone on them, distracted by the living body they were ravaging. Being in the presence of a ghost for too long is never good for you, so Lui knew he needed to act. 

“Hey!” Lui felt a chill run down his body as the ghosts all froze still and turned, seeing him for the first time. Their teeth and skulls seemed to sharpen to express their displeasure, but then they did something Lui hadn’t seen first hand before. He’d heard of ghosts possessing people to fulfill their bodily desires, but seeing it was very different indeed. Gabe gasped as the ghost in front of him pressed his tongue more forcefully down, followed by its entire misted form. This was followed by the one in his ear, Gabe’s eyes misting over and rolling back as it slipped directly into his head. The last one Lui didn’t even see except for the ectoplasmic trails slipping directly into Gabe’s chest. 

“Shiiiiiit shit shit. Holms!” Lui stepped up and reached up to Gabe’s face, using one hand to hold his flashlight. Gabe felt feverish and sweaty to the touch, his eyes were unfocused and slightly hazed, and his mouth was slack, a string of drool forming between his teeth and bottom lip. “Hey hey, stay with me buddy. I have no idea what you’re feeling right now, but we need to get those things out of you. Can you hear me?” 

Gabe was beginning to breathe heavily as his eyes slowly cleared. He blinked as Lui’s hand gently slapped his cheek. He turned his gaze down, but seemed so unfocused at first, as if he were looking through Lui and not at him. Eventually his eyes focused. “W...wa...” 

“Holms. You hearing me? Look, we need to get you out of this building into the sun, that should get these ghosts to leave you-Ah!” Gabe’s hand had slowly risen to touch Lui’s arm, but it suddenly gripped him painfully hard. “Nng! Holms, what are- Oh, dammit all.” 

Gabe was not just looking down at him, but glaring now. His lips pulled into a frustrated snarl as his grip tightened. No words escaped him, just one guttural roar of a scream. “GraaaaaaAA!” 

“Noooope!” Lui knew when it was time to try new tactics, and with a grunt he pushed as hard as he could against Gabe, wrenching his arm free and running back down the corridor. He was thinking he’d regroup and come back after checking the gear once more in the van, but stopped thinking so clearly when he heard the unmistakable sound of the large Gabriel making chase. “Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck!” 

Lui ran with a deeply needed focus on speed, the need to flee so strong that he almost missed the hole in the wall leading back the way he came. Thankfully a worried yapping from Watson caught his attention and he was able to turn and jump through the hole in the wall. He didn’t turn to check behind him, jumping up the wall as high as he could and grabbing at the climbing holes. He missed at first and slid back down the wall, and when he jumped a second time, he heard Gabe’s steps change from stone to dirt as he turned into the tunnel. Lui caught a hand hold the second jump, and quickly pulled himself up. As soon as his hand reached the edge of the hole, he felt teeth grabbing at his jacket sleeve as Watson tried to help pull him up. 

Lui made it out of the hole, feeling something trying to grab at his shoes at the last moment. “Go Watson, go go!” They were both running out of the cell and towards the door at a full sprint, Watson taking a healthy lead. “Get outside! Ghosts need to stay where they haunt, they wont follow!” He didn’t know why he was telling this to the dog, but in the moments of panic, maybe it was just comforting in any sense that there was someone there, not just a dumb dog and a possessed man chasing you down. 

Lui heard the screeching of metal and knew what was happening before seeing it himself. As Watson cleared the doorway, the metal barred door leading out to the reception room slammed shut, and with a deafening clang the hinge lock shut in place. Lui barely had enough time to stop before slamming into the door. He desperately pulled at the handle, knowing full well it wasn’t going to budge, and then looked up to see Watson’s tail disappear out through the front door. 

“Well... I guess at least the dog survived.” Lui swallowed against the lump in his throat and felt the knowing chill of doubt and fear run up his spine. He turned just in time to see Gabe jumping at him, and in the last moment he shut his eyes tightly. 

The boom of Gabe’s strong arms slamming against the barred door echoed through the chamber, droplets of spit and a wave of hot breath landed on Lui’s cheek as he stood still and straight, waiting for the inevitable end. The hot breath got closer, and he grit his teeth...

The KISS took him by surprise. Lui’s eyes shot open as strong, wet, passionate lips pressed firmly against his, both his and Gabe’s breathing heavily through their nose from the run. Gabe’s strong hands gripped the bars, trapping Lui against the door with nowhere to run, and as a thick and hungry tongue pressed at his lips the shock only lead him to parting his jaw to gasp, allowing the possessed Gabe to take advantage and fill his mouth. 

Lui silently hoped that this wasn’t some weird attempt to possess him as well. Zombie style via kissing. But as the kiss continued, only growing hotter and more desperate, Lui began to curiously accept. He tried to think of what was happening and why, but needed to admit that he was being distracted. He gasped for fresh air as soon as Gabe finally pulled away from the kiss, his ravaging leaving their lips connected with a line of spit. 

“Gaaaah! Hah... O-okay, big guy, what the hell are you trying...to...” Lui gulped as a desperately shivering Gabe pushed forward, grinding his hips forward against his smaller captive. Lui felt the very obvious throbbing tent in the boy’s jeans. “O-oh... Oh boy...” he also felt the very obvious throbbing tent forming in his OWN jeans as Gabe pushed him roughly against the wall, looking down at him needingly. “Fuuuuck, okay okay... so ghosts are appertains of emotions left behind after death in incorporeal form... you’re possessed, so those ghosts are riding your brain like a car, okay...” He would have gone on, but Gabe leaned down once more. “W-wait wait, i just Mmmmmph!” 

Gabe kissed like an animal. He was being driven by the inflamed sexual frustration and deeply seeded lustful needs of three separate beings all at once. These spirits died... well, horny. Probably some of the poor boys of the old reformatory, unable to relieve their raging pent up hormones. Now after decades of feeding off of their own needs, they have a body that can feel and taste and sense... there was no control. Gabe’s tongue forced itself back into Lui’s mouth, sloppily and loudly ravaging his lips, moaning with every breath. 

To combat the grinding hips, Lui needed to act, not just let the brute continue doing whatever he instinctually acted on. The smaller boy squeezed an arm between them, slipping down until he wrapped his fingers around Gabe’s honestly impressive package. As soon as he took a gentle grip of the throbbing tent and gave a slow controlled stroke up and down, Gabe hissed and leaned his head back needily. 

“Shhhh, that’s it, baby. Feel that? That’s what you really want, isn’t it?” Lui bit his lip as Gabe breathed heavily in front of him. His body was still burning up, like it was fighting the spirits from the inside. It must be exhausting him, but it was making him sweat, and the dampening shirt was clinging to his chest, outlining heavily worked muscles. Lui gulped, and in an attempt to hold the advantage he leaned forward, pressing his head against Gabe’s chest, giving the big lug another few gropes. “That’s it, big boy. Let me take care of you, huh? Just take a little step back. Back back... there we go.” He pushed until Gabe had loosened his grip on the iron bars and gave him enough room to move. “Good... Now...” Now what? 

Gabe’s hips moved with Lui’s strokes, his abs flexing and ass clenching as he pushed forward into that teasing grip. He began to breathe heavily again, leaning down, pressing his head gently into the soft thick hair on Lui’s head. His body was burning up, becoming more sensitive, and he wanted more. He finally released the bars and straightened up to his full hight. Lui seemed to be ready to run, but he just looked up and watched as Gabe grabbed at the neck of his shirt and quickly pulled it over his head, dropping his hat in the process and tossing the clothes aside. 

Lui’s dark skin began to blush around his cheeks as he couldn’t help following the curves and dips of Gabe’s muscled torso with his eyes. “W-wow... You, uh...” Lui swallowed against his tongue, feeling like his spit was becoming thick as he felt himself leaning forward. Gabe was damn fucking lucky he happened to take this outing with him. Someone not only gay, but currently single and very open to try new things with new people, and extra open to big muscle heads. “Dammit you... fucking...” Unwilling to let himself hold back anymore, Lui gripped that cock once more as he leaned forward and pressed his face against Gabe’s wide sweaty chest, taking a deep breath of the manly scent, feeling the heat against his cheek before taking a short exprimentive lick of the smooth salty skin. “You sexy... oaf...” 

Gabe moaned and spread his legs into a more steady stance, closing his eyes as he felt Lui’s hand as well as his tongue. He breathed heavily, his skin feeling like that tongue was leaving a trail of shocking fire, making him shiver in pleasure. He raised his arms and leaned on the door once more, and felt Lui exploring, becoming bolder. 

Lui’s mind was trapped between the race of figuring out his situation and being blinded by the flow of hormones flowing through his blood. He nuzzled that chest, kissing and licking until he was placing kissed on Gabe’s tight defined bicep. The smell was intoxicating. He wanted more, wanted to drown in the manly aura he was experiencing. He would have gone on but Gabe moved. Lui worried he was moving away, but the larger boy’s hand rested on Lui’s head and gently pressed down. Lui’s blush returned, but he didn’t fight at all. At this point, he wanted this maybe just as much as Gabe. Well... Possessed Gabe. 

Lui released the bulge in Gabe’s jeans, but only to grab at the belt holding him back from what he and Gabe both wanted and needed. He wrestled with the fastening, leaning forward and licking up the front of Gabe’s jeans as he was finally able to loosen the belt enough to open them fully. He yanked at the front of those jeans, nearly ripping the button off before they popped open. “Fuck... of course you wear a jock, you meathead.” With his pants around his thick muscled thighs, Gabe’s underwear were on full display, the white fabric straining to contain that wonderfully sized pants beast. Lui grabbed the deep red waistband and slowly pulled, leaning in and pressing himself into the thick trimmed curls of Gabe’s groin, huffing that wave of masculine sexual scent that fogged up any clear thoughts he had. He felt Gabe’s firm cock slap against his cheek as it was freed, and in moments he was dragging his tongue from those heavy hanging balls and up this thick swollen shaft. 

He could feel Gabe’s muscles shivering from the stimulation, and he didn’t want to stop. Wrapping one hand around Gabe’s shaft, Lui took his time making sure to lick slowly around the head, letting himself get it nice and wet. Unable to help himself, he reached down with his one free hand and struggled with his own belt. As he took Gabe finally into his mouth, he was able to free his own cock and give himself a much deserved stroke, pulling back his foreskin with a relieved sigh. 

Gabe’s hand pushed into Lui’s hair, fingers trembling as he felt Lui’s tongue sliding up and down the base of his glans. After a while of allowing Lui to lead and push them to this point, Gabe was starting to feel the need to push more. His trembling fingers strengthened their grip, and he began to move his hips. 

“Mmm-!” The sudden motion forced Lui to pull back, gulping before taking a deep breath. “Whoa there big guy, take it sl-“ Gabe grit his teeth and pushed forward, pressing the tip of his cock firmly against Lui’s cheek. Lui got the message and quickly have Gabe another stroke to calm him down as he licked his lips. “Okay, okay... You wanna get off, let’s get you off.” As Gabe was moving his hip again, Lui leaned in and took the first few inches of that thick member into his mouth. He sucked and pulled back, pushing back with his hand at the same time, milking a healthy drop of pre right onto his tongue. Lui moaned despite himself, feeling his own cock throb and begin to dribble as he began stroking the base of the shaft, bobbing his head along with Gabe’s instinctual thrusts of his hip. 

It didn’t take long with Lui’s full attention on that cock to get Gabe pushed right to the edge. He hoped that this would somehow get the ghosts to release Gabe’s body, but he also wanted to make it last. He struggled with himself, his own body thirsting to fill or be filled. A part of him definitely wanted to take this big boy properly, but there were better times... better places... better circumstances. He began to redouble his efforts, releasing his own cock and slipping a finger over Gabe’s balls, slipping it back for a bit of experienced exploring. 

Gabe was already seeing stars, that grip on his shaft and electrifying tongue swirling his head, he was moments away from losing all control. It was that finger, however, that pushed him so far over the edge there was no turning back. His body tightened, and he let out a guttural moan as he felt himself reach a massively overdue climax! 

Lui felt the first wave of cum his the back of his throat. In what wasn’t too much of a shock but still a moment of surprise, he pulled his head back, his cheek getting a shot of the load, followed by his poor jacket. Nothing seemed off with the cum on his tongue, but as his eyes turned down, he resisted any urge to swallow. The cum on his clothes had a gentle but definite glow. As Gabe finally released the bars and actually backed away to catch his breath, Lui took some breaths through his nose, and then carefully spit the load out onto the dusty laminate. 

Lui slowly stood up, grabbing his pants before they fell around his ankles. He looked at Gabriel panting as the boy fell to his hands and knees. His back began to flare up with that ghostly smoke, and in moments one of the skeletal faces floated up through his back, giving a goofy relieved looking face before falling away like ashes and embers floating on a breeze. 

“Finally...” Lui took a deep breath, partially thankful the ordeal was over, through he could imagine himself needing to get off as soon as he was able, unless he wanted a bad case of blue balls. “So, Holms... you back with me? ... Holms?” 

Gabe was still panting, but his breathing was beginning to slow as he looked up, his eyes still hazed, his cock throbbing, a glowing drop of cum dripping from the tip. 

“... Oh fuck, there’s still two left in you, aren’t there?” 

Gabe stood once again, almost tripping on his pants before frustratingly stepping on and then out of his shoes, pants and jock, leaving him only wearing a pair of white socks as he stepped closer, erection bobbing with every step. 

Lui leaned back against the iron bars once again. “Okay... I can do this. Just give me a second and-“ Once again Lui’s words were stolen and muffled by a deep passion free lust filled kiss, but this time Gabe’s hand slipped down into Lui’s pants. The motion made Lui release his pants, letting them fall around his ankles. “Mmmmph~!” Fuck it felt amazing, those strong soft hands stroking from balls to tip in long slow motions, just like he had done at first to Gabe. Lui began to kick his shoes away, allowing himself to be a bit more comfortable when Gabe’s hand slipped from Lui’s cock to his leg, lifting it out of his pants. 

Gabe pushed forward, holding Lui’s leg, and with his back against the bars Lui had nowhere to go. He felt the brute’s member throb between his legs, pointing right up at his-

“W-whoa whoa whoa, just a second...” Gabe began to push forward a bit, but Lui quickly pushed himself onto his toes. “Just a second! Please wait waaaait... Let me just...” Thankfully Gabe seemed to have some semblance of understanding as he growled and backed off. Lui gulped and reached up with one hand, wiping a glop of ectoplasmic cum from his cheek and reaching down to feel around for his hole. “Fuck... this, hnng...” He slipped two fingers into his practiced hole, letting himself stretch and feel himself get nice and slick. “This is going to be a ride...” 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gabe took in a nice deep breath. The air was cold, and smelled of damp grass and old bricks. It was a strangely pleasant smell. He shifted where he lay, a stiff bit of his back making him cringe, and a heavy warm weight on his chest making him reconsider his sitting up options. He opened one eye and glanced down. “Heeeey Watson~” 

The golden lab perked his floppy ears and woke with a slight start. His tail began switching back and forth very quickly as he crawled higher onto sleeping back on Gabe’s chest to give his face so many licks! 

“H-hey hey! Blech, Hahaha, quit it you mongrel!” With practiced playful roughness Gabe wrapped his arms around the little beast and rolled him off onto the ground, petting him firmly as he sat up. 

“So, you’re awake?” Lui had turned from where he sat just inside the side of the van, writing in a small compound notebook. He shut the book and tapped his pen on the cover. “How are you feeling? You’ve been out for two hours.” 

“...Two hours? Out? What are you...?” Gabe scratched his head and looked down in thought before his cheeks turned red and he quickly grabbed at the sleeping bag he was in and pulled up. “Where are my clothes!?” 

“Really!?” Lui was in such a weird space between amused, confused, and frustrated that he didn’t know how to react. “After all of that, you’re going to get shy that I see you without pants?” 

“After... After all what?! Wait, how did we get outside? Why is it dark out?” Gabe turned back and forth looking across the field, and then to the building they had just been in and then back, holding the sleeping bag firmly with one hand. 

“You seriously don’t know?” It was slightly disappointing. After Lui had woken up from all of THAT, the barred door opened on its own and Watson came running back. Lui, through his own ingenuity, had rolled Gabriel into the sleeping back from the van and with Watson’s help they were able to drag him out of the haunted building and safely onto the lawn. Since then Lui had been able to clean up and change into his one set of clean clothes, fetched the camera Gabe had dropped during the chase, collected the thermal camera from the holding cells, and then had been making notes on everything that had happened. He hadn’t had a chance to download any of the pictures, but he was more interested in seeing if the thermal camera had been able to record that whole end of the adventure. “Whatever. I’m hungry and cold. Are you okay to drive us back to town at least?”

“Oh, yeah sure.” Gabe wiggled his way to his knees, and then hopped to his feet in the sleeping bag, but almost immediately fell back to his knees. It looked like he’d tripped at first, but it seemed he had gotten very dizzy and looked like he was about to throw up. “Wuuuuh... give me a sec...” 

“No no, dont get up. You had a fever earlier, so you might still be recovering.” Lui got up and went to the back of the van.

“A fever? Man, why can’t I remember...?” Gabe sat back down on the grass, and Watson was quickly by his side, nuzzling his head into his lap. 

Lui worked quickly, pulling the central seats out of the van with a few level pulls he was just able to work out. He laid the seats on the ground and then helped Gabe up, rolling his eyes with how quickly he moved to hide any nakedness. They got back into the van and got Gabe laid out. 

“So.” Lui glanced back towards the rear of the van. “I wasn’t expecting a camp out.”

“Neither was I really...” Gabe scratched his head confused as all get. 

“What I MEAN is, I dont have a sleeping back.” 

“Oh?” 

“And it’s very cold out, van or no.” 

“...Oooooh.” Gabriel began to blush again. 

“Oh for Christ sake.” Lui moved to the rear of the van once more, coming back and tossing a pair of boxers at Gabe. “Put these on, I’ll keep mine on. You big baby. Watson! Inside.” 

Watson perked up and quickly hopped up onto the discarded seats, and then right up into the van, crawling up into the very back seats to curl up. Gabe reached into the sleeping back to slip on the underwear and then scooted aside as Lui made his way in and strained to close the door. 

“We’ll at least be warm and dry in here. In the morning, you drive us home. And you owe me a big breakfast. With pancakes. Like... at least 5 pancakes.” Lui began stripping down, noticing for a moment that Gabe was watching closely, but quickly turned away as soon as Lui caught him. Lui rolled his eyes, but couldn’t help but grin. Big guy was a bit of a gentleman when he wasn’t pumping out ghost loads into him. When that’s happening he’s a damn beast. Lui stepped over and wiggled into the sleeping bag. Before Gabe could turned away, Lui grabbed his hand and pulled it around him. “Holms, you are the one stranding me out in the cold. You need to take responsibility and keep me warm.” 

“Oh... A-all right.” Gabe cleared his throat, and the two boys wiggled around and shifted until Lui was resting his head on one of Gabe’s strong arms, the other draped over him, their bodies warm against each other. “... Good night Lui.” 

“Mmmm.”

“... Good night Watson.” 

“Arf~”


	2. 2nd Time’s a Ghostly Charm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys are joined by Ryan, one of the founding members of the group. They’re off to film in an old bar known for past kidnappings, now part of an expanding ghost town.

Gabe sighed as he finally was able to relieve himself. Seven hours straight he was driving that van before they finally found a good clean rest stop, and he’d been holding it in for the last four! The tall muscular boy leaned forward, resting one arm heavily on the clean tiled wall, his other hand holding his aim steady. One great thing about these middle-of-nowhere rest stops is that hardly enough people come to them to get them dirty, so they were mostly empty and well taken care of. That’s not to say these places don’t get action. Gabe tried to not notice the obvious phone number scribbled on the far stall, or the poorly hidden hole cut between them. 

He took his time washing his hands, splashing some water on his face and rubbing his wet fingers through his hair a few times before dabbing himself dry with paper towels. He looked himself up and down in the mirror. Only caring for his relative comfort, he’d only worn his black sleeveless undershirt, leaving his shirt and jacket in the van. It was nippy out, but for the short walk to the bathroom and back, it was a good way to cool off and wake up anyways. He looked a bit strange without his cap on, but he’d been wearing it all day, and he’d be putting it back on when it was time to drive on anyways. He let himself stretch his arms over his head, cracked his neck from side to side, and then made his way out past the vending machines towards the van. 

“I was NOT snoring.” Ryan, a half-Asian boy with neatly trimmed black hair sat in the open doorway of the van chewing on the stick that remained from his sucker, rubbing from his socked feet and up his stiff legs looking annoyed at Lui who was leaning on the passenger side door with his arms crossed. Ryan hadn’t put on his jacket yet, letting himself cool down in his black novelty tee shirt with a small picture of an adorable sheet ghost with the simple phrase ‘This is Boo-Sheet’ written below it.

“Well SOMEONE was keeping me up this whole drive, and I’m guessing since we’re not dead is wasn’t Holms sleeping at the wheel.” Lui pulled his cotton lined denim jacket tighter across his chest before stuffing his fingers back into the pockets. His own hair as wild as it usually was now stood flat on one side where he had rested against the side of the van during the long drive. “And since I have video evidence...” 

“You WHAT!?” Ryan lowered his leg, pushing his foot into his unlaced sneakers and jumping up. “You filmed me? You prick! Let me see!” 

Gabe chuckled as he walked past towards the back of the van. “I love when my friends get along.” He pulled open the back and took out a large heavy cooler, carrying it to the side and pushing it in where Ryan had been sitting. “Anyone want lunch?” 

Lui was busy holding his phone up as high as he could with one hand, holding Ryan’s face back with the other as the other boy tried grabbing for the device as best as he could. “Back...off...Ryan!” 

“I’ll take that as two yeses.” Gabe pulled foil wrapped sandwiches he’d prepped that morning as well as three Pot-Noddle-Cups, his plug-in kettle, and a large bottle of water. He let his buddies attack each other over the phone, the boys practically running circles around the van now as he prepped food. The whole van set up was so much better for this trip. After the adventure to the old prison, Gabe had learned a lot and make preparations for a more comfortable expedition. 

Taking the middle seats fully out and placing some thick carpeting down over the entire floor gave a lot more space to sleep or just stretch out, and a simple outlet box plugged into the old cigarette lighter let them charge phones, cameras, or in this case the kettle for hot food on the road! He also got an inflatable mattress that fit the entire back once it was pumped up with its battery powered pump, and each of them had a sleeping back stuffed under the back seat. The ice chest doubled as a table, some battery powered lights on the ceiling gave them proper light even when the car wasn’t running, and Gabe was extra proud of the magnetic whiteboard he’d found at a thrift shop he was able to attach to the far wall! He’d thought they could use it for playing board games on the go, and even got some neat board screens that stuck up to the board that you could use and had magnets for the game pieces and everything... but so far Lui and Ryan had argued about using it to either draw out a map to strategize the ghost hunt or planning out the video’s storyboard. 

“Food’s up!” Gabe stepped in front of a fleeing Lui and put his arm around him to stop him from going any further. He pressed a wrapped sandwich into his free hand and then held out a hot soup cup for him. 

Lui grunted somewhat disapprovingly but pocketed his phone with the incriminating video and took the soup cup, heading off towards one of the rest stop picnic tables. Ryan stepped up next for his food, looking somewhat defeated. 

“I dont snore though...” Ryan rubbed his arms, deciding to reach into the van for his camo print hoodie. “I dont! Do I?” 

“Buddy, how long have we known each other?” Gabe grinned and handed Ryan his sandwich and soup. “Of course you snore.” 

“What!?” Ryan looked utterly betrayed. “You’re supposed to be MY friend, you...jerk!” 

“Ah ah, wait for it.” Gabe glanced over his shoulder to make sure Lui was out of earshot and pulled his own phone out, quickly opening his pictures. “You’re not the only one though.” He flipped the screen around and showed Ryan a selfie shot Gabe had taken from the driver’s seat, an image of Ryan and Lui each leaning their heads against their side of the van both wide mouthed and dead to the world. Ryan snorted out a laugh as Gabe quickly pocketed his phone once again. “Not a word to Lui, this is just for me anyways. Go on, I’ll join you guys.” 

The three ate lunch together, enjoying their last break before they made their way further south to their destination, a town with a famous secret begging to be further explored. Lui took a sip of the thick beefy tomato broth from his noodles before going over some of his plans. 

“If this place has any lingering spirits, they’re not going to be in the bar. They’ll be where the deaths more likely occurred, which is down in the tunnels. Just like last time.” 

Gabe nodded and chewed his double bologna sandwich, which he had previously cut in half and stacked into an ultimate double double bologna sandwich. Still chewing, he kept his interjections minimal. “Yeah, that was fun.” 

Ryan rolled his eyes, twirling his noodles up on his plastic fork. “Okay okay, YOU guys can go searching the tunnels and all, but it’s going to be much more visually interesting if most of the shots and discussion happens up in the bar where we have, oh I dunno, LIGHT! If you try to film just down in some tunnel with flashlights, you wont be able to see anything.” 

Ryan was a founding member of the Ghost Hunters along with Gabe, and as such was also known to never have gone on a single hunting trip since its creation. A few others have joined and quickly thereafter quit, and thus the group spiraled into near standstill before Lui arrived, but despite never having gone on a trip Ryan always stood by as long as Gabe still held on. An aspiring YouTube personality, Ryan had volunteered to produce and edit any footage as well as stream to his myriad of fans, currently at 251 followers. After learning about all of this, Lui’s first suggestion was to change the name of the group, but his first DEMAND was that all members wishing to remain as such HAD to be able and willing to join on trips. Ryan pushed back at first, but eventually he let himself be dragged along. 

Lui tapped at the table annoyingly. “You mean WE can search the tunnels. Come on, we didn’t drive halfway across the country for you to chill by the van!”

“I’ll be chilling behind the camera, thank you. And if YOU want to go crawling around in a bunch of murder tunnels under the city, then-“

Gabe reached over and placed a hand on Ryan’s shoulder with a grin, a bit of mayo on the side of his mouth. “Come on, bud. I wont let anything happen to you or nothin. We just want to do this all as a team, you know?”

Ryan sighed and turned back to his meal, keeping his eyes down for a bit. He didn’t want to admit that he just didn’t want to be creeping around this terrifying dark tunnels and he’d rather just see it from afar. He nibbled on his sandwich. “We’ll see...Maybe.” 

Lui also dug more into his food, making Gabe a bit happier that they at least weren’t arguing. They all finished with lunch before tossing their trash away and heading back for the van, Ryan pulling out a pack of chewy gummy worms. Lui took a step up to the front passenger seat, pulling the handle to find it locked. 

“Hey, I get shotgun.” 

“Sorry, Lui. You know the rules of the van.” Gabe opened the driver’s door and gave a short sharp whistle. Watson, the golden Labrador, perked his head up from the grass he had been rolling in. He twisted up to his feet and ran back to the van, hopping past Gabe into the driver’s seat and then bounding over to the navigator’s spot, panting as he looked over to Lui outside, fogging up the glass. 

“Guh! Why does Watson always get the front?” Lui rolled his eyes and climbed into the back instead followed by Ryan, who shut the door behind them. Once everyone was settled in, Gabe backed them all out and got back on the highway, only a few more hours until they hit their final destination. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Lui put his hands in his jacket pockets, making sure the jacket was loose and open enough to show his black tee and silver chain combo underneath. His head was turned down, eyes closed. Raising his head slowly, he opened them, the bright green contacts reflecting the camera lens looking his way. 

“Shanghai tunnels. A historic reminder of the dark and twisted nature of the living, and a prime location to make contact with the dead. Here at the ‘Pale Moon Bar and Nightclub’, one such tunnel has been credited with over a dozen known cases of kidnapping through these dark underground passageways, with many more unaccredited and unknown surely hidden and forgotten in time.” 

Ryan cut the camera up, a strange cut-away technique he’d picked up when doing some ‘haunted’ location shoots. “Good. Audio was clean, and I’ll add some background in post.” The boy removed his headphones and checked his watch, blowing a small bubble with his gum, that snapped loudly before chewing some more. “We’ve got about an hour of sunlight left, you think we should move inside?” 

Lui made a beeline black towards the van. “Yes! It took so long for you guys to set up and take those establishing shots that I thought we’d never get into this place.” Moving to the open back of the van, Lui started pocketing some sensors and his flashlight. 

“I told you the establishing shots MAKE the video.” 

“You just wanted an excuse to use your little drone camera thing.” 

Gabe listened to the two bicker as he quickly gathered up the camera equipment and move it into the bar. They’d pulled up in the van almost two hours ago, this whole street basically filled with abandoned businesses despite the riverside location. According to the woman at the tour guide booth this place was booming a few decades ago, but some investigations put a really bad reputation on the area for kidnappings and murder, and then shortly after the whole town was hit badly with a localized economic dip and business was driven in towards the main downtown area. Many of the businesses here were in foreclosure, but the banks were unwilling to drop the price given the location, and unable to sell given the lack of any business. What was left was a street of dark dusty windows, unlit signs for laundromats, bars, store fronts, and a pawn shop, the small unkempt parking spaces crumbling and full of weeds. 

The building they were interested in was a bar called the Pale Moon Bar, which was hard to decipher between all of the rest of the buildings except for the unlit border of lights around a now mostly unrecognizable sign with a crescent moon surrounded by a peeling painted sky. Gabe was actually granted a key by the local board as long as they promoted the town in their video and the group signed safety waivers, so it was simple enough to enter the building. Even so, all power and utilities had been shut off, leaving the dust filled rooms dark. Even the remaining sunlight struggled to flow through the windows covered in cobwebs and dust. A few glasses remained on the shelves, seemingly left as they were lightly damaged while packing the rest away. The furniture was similar, with one lopsided table and two stacked chairs beside it, the rest having been removed years ago. 

Gabe set up the tri-pod at the front of the bar just like Ryan had asked, and dipped into his pocket for a felt mask to protect him from the dust. The others joined him shortly after, each wearing a mask as well. As Gabe helped Ryan with the gear, Lui made his way behind the bar, shining his light around the floor. Behind the bar was a doorway that only came up a few feet beneath the large mirror behind where the bartender would normally stand. It was very easy to spot with all of the other shelves bare, because this one section had all of the bottles still there glued down to keep anything from spilling when it was opened and closed. The guys had been told how to open up the tunnels by the tour guide, and found the concealed switch under the bar with a quick glance. He pulled the small cable that lead under the floorboards and back behind the shelves, which lifted the latch, and with a gentle backwards nudge with his foot, the small section swung in. 

A bark could be heard from outside and Gabe was quickly by the door peeking out. “Ah, hey guys, Watson has been cooped up a while, I’m going to take him on a short walk around, alright?” 

“Yeah well, I’m gonna walk around and take some establishing bar shots while you’re out.” Ryan pulled out his gimbal, a mechanically balanced handle for his small action camera, and began setting up to walk around the room. 

Lui, however groaned loudly. “Guys seriously!? We’re about to walk through the Shanghai tunnels under the Pale Moon, and I feel like I’m the ONLY one taking this at all with even a modicum of professionalism!” 

Ryan rolled his eyes. “Lui, we’re not expecting to find real ghosts hanging around waiting for you to find and question about the great beyond.” 

Gabe held up a finger. “Actually-“

“Hush, Holms. What YOU guys experienced while trespassing on a condemned federal prison was either a mix of fear and whatever flaking chemicals were sloffing off of those old ass walls, or more likely you both just got really fucking horny and found yourselves in an abandoned building with no witnesses.” Ryan held his camera to catch some of the dust filled light beams from the window and started recording as he slowly backed away and panned the camera up and in to look at the burned out bulbs decorating the ceiling. “So give us a second, take a breath, and we’ll be with you in a bit.” 

Lui grit his teeth, partially wishing they’d left the second half of the founding members out of their group behind. He turned to look at Gabe. “... Well!?” 

Gabe shrugged and rubbed the back of his head. “I mean... I’ll be there in a sec, but I gotta...” He gestured out towards the van. 

Lui huffed and tossed his hands in the air. “Just... meet me in there! I’ll find a way down.” With that, Lui got down on his knees and looked through the secret doorway, checking for any sticking up nails or broken glass before crawling in. The room was bigger than he’d imagined, a number of shelves dividing the room, probably used to store overstock. Lui kept his eyes down to the ground, slowly stepping around between the selves. The one secret doorway to the storage room wasn’t enough, there was a second one hiding the entrance to the actual tunnels. 

He walked around for a minute before finding a small eye-hook sunken into one of the planks. Lui had been told that the old owners would use a special hook to slip into the eye-hook and pull open the doorway. Lui didn’t have a special hook, but he had brought some extra shoelace. He fed both ends through the eye-hook and back up, through the loop it had created, and then pulled it tight. He then wrapped the ends around his flashlight as a handle, stepped back, and pulled. It was heavier than he imagined, but the door opened with a loud creaking more and more until it was standing just beyond straight up, when the hinges opened their widest and stopped. 

Lui unwound his flashlight and made his way around to the front of tunnel, shining his light down. A latter of iron with wound rope around each step lead down into the abys, at least ten feet down and then turned sharply, cold moist air pushing up through into the store room. “Well, hello.” Lui glanced over at the doorway leading out into the bar and considered waiting for the guys, but quickly shook his head and placed the end of his flashlight between his lips, falling to his knee and taking a grip at the first rung. 

In the main bar area, Ryan continued to find nice shots to show off the general creepiness of the building. This of course was a bit of a double edged sword. While he has a good eye for visuals and framing, and he’s able to find these great ways to really make the video that much more scary, he was also starting to get the chills himself. He wouldn’t admit it to Gabe, and he CERTAINLY wasn’t about to mention it to Lui, but as much as he really wanted to join his friend on his planned out adventures, the thought of going to these abandoned and seemingly haunted placed gave him the utter heebie jeebies. 

When they walked around and did the video intro, he was cool. When they were all checking out the bar area, he was fine. Now that he was alone in this dark abandoned room, cobwebs blowing like shredded curtains across the windows, the moan of creaking wood flooring under his feet, and a sudden shift in the air and low howling from somewhere behind the bar... 

Ryan felt himself beginning to sweat, his heart racing as he tried to hold the camera steady. He tried to take a deep breath, but his hands had begun shivering and his mouth had become dry. Shadows seemed to shift just outside of his focused view, and he turned one way and the other. He was sure it was nothing, right? He began walking backwards towards the exit, the camera in his hands forgotten as his eyes traces around the corners of the room, growing seemingly darker by the moment as the sun slowly sank out of view outside. He dared not to blink, reaching behind him looking for the doorknob that would let him leave, head back to the van and turn on the lights and-

“Arf!”

“AAAAAH!” Ryan felt his skeleton try to jump out of his body as his camera was tossed up into the air from the shock! His eyes shot up as he moved to catch it, but his feet slipped on the dusty floor, sending him tumbling down, rolling flat on his back as his action camera landed on the floor with him a few feet away. “Oooow ow ow...” Ryan just let himself lay in self despair and pain as the fuzzy goober who was the cause of all of his anguish walked over and licked his cheek. “... ... Hi Watson.” 

“Wwwwwwoof.” Watson wagged and turned back as Gabe stuck his head inside. The dog walked around and sat next to Ryan’s head, his tail now gently slapping him with every wag. 

“Well...” Gabe pulled out his flashlight and looked down. “You okay?” 

“Never better... just... gumdrops and ice cream.” He groaned as he sat up. “Ugh... I think I swallowed my gum. Where’s my-“ He turned and saw the camera, crawling over to it in a quickened panic. He checked the screen, and it seemed to be still working, and still recording. He paused and sighed, thinking to himself that he’ll need to remember to delete a lot of that before anyone else saw. 

“Camera okay?” Gabe snapped his finger, bringing Watson to his side where he reached down and gave him a healthy pet. “Hey, go back to the van bud. Go to bed.” Watson excitedly ran out of the building, no doubt straight to where Gabe had told him to go. That dog was damn smart. Gabe adjusted his letterman jacket and zipped up the front as he walked over to where Ryan lay and gave him a hand back to his feet.

“Yeah yeah it’s fine... these guys aren’t cheap, but they’re surprisingly sturdy.” Ryan went into his back pocket, looking for something to chew on. Nothing there, nothing in his front pockets either. He started patting down his jacket. “God dammit... Do you have any gum, Holms? I don’t want to start chewing up my sleeves.”

“Nah, but I’ve always got a little...” Gabe went into his inner coat pocket and pulled out a small sandwich bag of jolly ranchers. “These work?”

“Bud, your’e a lifesaver.” Ryan grabbed the back and took out one candy while pocketing the rest. He was quick to unwrap and toss one into his mouth, a sour watermelon bite making his already sugar and mint flavored tongue water. “Mmm...” He sighed, letting himself focus on swishing the hard piece of candy slide from one side of his mouth to the other. “So much better.” 

“You’re such a freak.” Gabe reached up and put his hand on Ryan’s head for a moment before walking past, shining his light out in front of him. Even in the last minute or two the room had gotten much darker. “Well I’m going to head down and see how far Lui’s gotten. He’d have radioed if anything was wrong, but he seems to like to just rush into places. You coming?” 

Ryan did his best to hold onto his grin as his cheeks lost color. “I... no, I think I’ll stay up here. Maybe uh... go check on Watson. In the van. Away from this whole general area, you know?” 

“Come on Ry, we came all this way. Don’t chicken out on me.” Gabe grinned and pat his friend on the arm. “You sitting out in the van wont be any fun. Finish your shots up here, and then you can come down to the tunnel with us. I’ll be there, Lui will be there, nothin will be able to getcha, alright?” He reached up and ruffled at Ryan’s head like a kid before turning away.

Ryan felt his ears blush when Gabe pet his head like that. He watched the larger boy head off behind the bar to find the trap door that lead down to the tunnels. “I’m not a chicken...” He muttered under his breath. He took a peek over towards the door once more, but shook his head and went over to the tripod to at least set up some lights so they can do an afterwards interview bit for the ending. He’d prep up the equipment and then maybe MAYBE he’d go check out the tunnels. As long as Gabe and Lui were both there too...

The tripod was already set up by Gabe along with the extension lead to the van’s power, so Ryan only needed to wire in the camera to the mic and set up the lighting. As the room continued to darken, Ryan used his flashlight to find the cables he needed and get them all plugged in. As he finally turned on the first soft box light, hoping to use it instead of his flashlight to see what he was doing, Ryan heard a loud crash and nearly jumped through the mess of tripods, stands, and cables! Catching himself, he shined his flashlight over to where he heard the noise, the beam of light shaking back and forth as he searched around. A twinkle caught his eye, and on the far side of the bar he saw some broken glass. Must have been from one of the leftover glasses on the shelves. Something must have... no no, it must have just fallen over. On its own. 

Ryan gulped and started to walk closer to where the glass had broken to see what kinda damage was done, but as he neared the bar his flashlight flickered. With his body stiffened and his pupils no doubt dilated, Ryan smacked the light with his free hand a few times. He gulped down thick saliva as he looked over the broken glass, which had thankfully broke into larger pieces. He started kicking the pieces gently under the bar to make sure no one stepped on them, but a chill ran up his neck as if someone with a mouth full of ice just blew on him. Ryan spun and looked around, but of course he was alone... no one else was here. Everything was silent. Well, silent enough. If he was still enough and listened, he could hear Gabe and Lui arguing about something off in the distance, their voices carried through the tunnels. 

Ryan took a breath, and went back to the cameras, back where the light was brightest. He pulled out the flip display screen on the camera for a quick light test, but as the screen lit up it began to glitch. What should be showing the dimly lit bar was half static and half glitched colored boxes coming in and out of view. He’d never seen such a strange display, so Ryan gave the device a light tap, hoping that something was just loose. As he tapped the tiny display screen, it finally shot back to a nice normal view, but not before Ryan SWORE he saw an eye looking back at him! ... No, that was just his nerves getting him. 

“Fuuuuck me.” Ryan shook out his hands, slapped his cheeks, and focused on rolling that delightfully sour piece of candy around his tongue. He was letting his imagination get the better of him. DAMN he hates haunted houses and shit. He only joined this shit to hang out with Gabe, he didn’t actually like this crap! In order to help get him through the night, Ryan went into his audio bag and found some inexpensive earbuds, plugging in his phone and scrolling up through some cheerful music. He picked out a playlist from one of the shows he liked, turned up the volume, and just closed his eyes for a few moments. Focusing on the tunes, he started gently bouncing in place. Okay... okay, this is better. He could do this. 

Ryan actively bounced to the music as a way to distract himself from his own imagination, and set up the final light. It felt like they’d already been at this place all day, but they still had a few hours to explore and finish the shots, and then they’d finally be able to get back into the van and go home. He quickly rubbed his neck when that cold feeling came back... but he largely ignored it, despite the goose bumps forming down his arm. That cold breath seemed to slide down his spine, which made him turn just to glance... nothing... but that feeling creeped up towards his ear, and then his music skipped once. Twice. Started to break up in static. 

Feeling the sweats coming back on, Ryan took out his phone and checked to make sure he was using downloaded music and not trying to stream. The music further distorted in his headphones as he turned on his phone screen, which cut in and out until it broke into half static, half glitchy boxes. The phone shook in his hand. He swore he saw that eye again, and through the static of the music he thought he could hear a whispering voice.

“Run...” 

“Fuck this!!” Ryan dropped his phone and made a bolt for the door, but his foot caught on something, one of the many cables, and as he tumbled to his hands and knees the power cable pulled firmly and the lights turned off, leaving the room in the pale red light of the nearly set sun. Ryan looked up in time to see the front door slam! The wind... or a god damn spirit of the damned! He fought to his feet in a dash for the door, grabbing the handle and pulling hard! The door was locked, and the handle was cold as ice. he grabbed for the lock, but it was ice cold as well, held stiffly shut, and slipped through his shivering fingers! 

“This can’t be.. it’s can’t... Lui!” Ryan slammed his fist on the door. “Lui, Homls, if this is you I swear to god I’m gonna...GUH!” It had to be a prank. Lui talked Gabe into giving him a scare, probably trying to get it on tape too. Those jerks! Ryan kicked at the door and yelled out again. “Very funny, assholes! Come on!”

He tried the handle again, and then the lock. They were even colder then before, almost feeling like they were burning him as they slipped between his fingers, glistening with dewy ice. He was trapped... he was locked in... Maybe he could break a... a... window...

Ryan lost control of his legs for a moment as he looked up at the windows, stumbling back and falling on his ass. He saw his breath now misting in front of him in the sudden freezing cold as the glass fogged up behind the webs and the dust and the grime. Handprints, jagged like claws, dragged down the glass left by invisible creatures, and in letters three feet tall was written in dripping letters...

‘RUN’

“AaaaahH!!!!” Ryan found the muscles in his legs again, and turned to run for the tunnels! He had nowhere else to go, didn’t know of any other way out, and at least Gabe and Lui will be there! As he ran, the shadows in the room seemed to reach out at him, following him! The static in his headphones turned to laughter, causing Ryan to grab his phone and throw it to the floor along with the headphones, but the laughter seemed to echo in his head as he jumped behind he bar and crawled on his knees through the secret opening! In his hurry Ryan almost fell into the open tunnel, and as he climbed down, his feet slipped twice, but he managed to catch his balance. Looking up at the deepening red light above, he swore he saw a shadow looking down at him. 

As soon as Ryan’s feet touched solid ground, he started to run, stumbling down the dark tunnel! He grabbed for this flashlight, which flickered on and off as he desperately slapped the side, cursing the horrible thing, only just able to make out the damp carved out walls, pushing against the cold damp wind that seemed to be trying to hold him back from escaping the growing laughter and clawing shadows. 

“Holms! Lui!” Ryan yelled out, and then in a moment of insight grabbed his radio from his pocket, fumbling until he could hit the talk switch. “Holms, Lui, come in, please!” Ryan felt tears down his cheek as he listened to the radio, praying they heard him. 

The radio chirped, giving Ryan a glimps of hope, but the voice on the other end came in as static, which grew louder until he could hear the whispers. “Run...run... make it fun...” 

The tunnels became a blur as Ryan took himself into a full sprint, noticing turns and other passageways but ignoring them, feeling that if he slowed down he’d only be caught. No time to guess, just run! The chill behind him was getting closer, the voices, the shadows...

Ryan noticed a light down a pathway off to the side, and quickly turned for it, hoping to find his friends. At the end of the pathway was a door standing slightly ajar. They must be in there! He ran, hearing the voices behind him turn from laughs to jeers of ‘No! Don’t go there! Don’t leave!’ His lungs burned, each breath like pulling ice water into his lungs as he reached forward for the door! He slipped as he reached for the handle, and crashed through the doorway, the door caving in and splintering, warped and weakened from decades of water damages. 

The voices stopped. The cold was gone, replaced by a warmth on Ryan’s skin. He gasped for breath, feeling around on the ground for his flashlight, grabbing it and shining it down the tunnel he’d come from. Nothing. The light beam was steady, looking down an empty stone hallway. 

He gulped, panting still from the run, and he looked around. The room he was in was dimly lit by candlelight. Red wax dripped down the walls to the floor, over a dozen thick candles decorating the walls of this small...room? The room didn’t have an exit other than the tunnel, the floor covered in what felt like a small pile of rugs, and other than the candles the only thing in the room seemed to be a small pedestal at the back, on top was perched a small wood carved mask. The mask was warped and made of this reddish wood with bits of cracked paint decorating around the eyes and lips, and the face was contorted into this silent scream.

Ryan slowly stood up as he caught his breath, turning from the mask to the tunnel entryway, making sure it hand’t changed. He slowly looked around the room, but was walking slowly towards the pedestal. His eyes were drawn to the mask, its features seemed to move as the shadows from the candlelight dances across its deep features. It was grotesque, yet seemed intriguing. The moment he’d entered the room he’d felt safe from whatever it was chasing him, and now he felt a growing curiosity replacing any fears. 

He reached out towards the mask, lifting it from the simply decorated pedestal. The wood was rough, and very light in his hand. He turned it over, the strangely colored paint from the front pattering the back with weird shapes and patterns. As his fingers traced the interior of the mask, his radio, laying on the floor where he’d fallen, blinked and hissed but completely unheard. There was no sound in the room to be heard, even Ryan’s own heartbeat and rasping breath have faded into soft confined silence. He never considered the oddity, his eyes drawn to the eyes of the mask as it drew nearer to his face. The smell of the wood filled his nostrils, like roses and old book paper dusted in ancient nutmeg. Before he realized it, the mask was pressing to his face, and he turned to the doorway of the tunnel. From beyond the comforting light of the burning candles, deep in the stone lined corridor, the figure of 5 young men looking on in fear, their bodies thin, clothing in tatters, their whole image seemingly drawn in the air in cold fire and ash. They looked back at him, afraid. 

The image in his mind grew dark, as if someone was blowing out the candles one by one just beyond his vision. As the darkness enveloped the scene before him, a gentle throbbing in his head began, the smell of dust, and a steady uncomfortable chill. He tried to move, but a weight on his chest and a pain in his back made him still once more. The weight shifted, a warm breath spilled over his face, and then a sloppy tongue slathered over his lips. 

“Bleck! Pthp!” Ryan raised his arms over his face in defense. “Gross! Watson, down!” 

“Arf!” Watson whimpered worryingly and stepped off of Ryan’s chest, backing away only a step, still looking closely at the boy’s face from where he lay on the floor. 

“Ugh... how did you get down...here?” Ryan squinted his eye open, leaning up on his elbows to look around the room. He was in the main bar, the only light being from the flashlight on the floor, its beam stretched across the floor towards the open front door, the van in plain site. “Wait... when did-“

“Watsoooon!” Gabe clapped his hands from behind, making Ryan jump, but Watson barked in response, running over to his owner, jumping up at him as he kneeled down for hugs and pets. “Oh who’s the best partner in the business? You keeping the van safe, buddy? Where’s Ryan?” He peeked up as the dog hopped off and ran over to Ryan with another bark. “Oh hey buddy. Y’all right? What you doing on the ground again?” 

“I uh... fell. I think?” Ryan rubbed his head, feeling a small bump and wincing. “Fuck...I must have passed out or something. What time is it?” 

Lui stood up from behind the bar after he crawled in, looking disappointingly over to Ryan on the floor. “It’s time we’re supposed to be packing up. You conveniently slept through the whole exploration of the haunted tunnels. Good job.” 

Gabe gave a side glance over to Lui. “Hey, relax. You said yourself there was nothing to see down there.” 

“Nothing I could find anyways...” Lui hopped over the bar and started walking out, but stopped to give a hand to Ryan. Ryan hesitated to take the offered hand, wondering what the guy was playing at, but Lui turned to him half annoyingly. “Well? Come on, man. You okay or not?”

Ryan let out an exasperated sigh. “Pft... I’m fine, I guess.” He reached up and took Lui’s hand, standing up with one good pull and then dusting off the back of his pants. “Thanks.” 

“Yeah well... there was nothing down there anyways. I hope you have enough movie magic skills to make the video look halfway decent. Might be the only thing that saves this trip.” Lui stuck his hands back into his jacket pockets and started walking out. “You guys can get the gear wrapped up. I’ll be in the van.” 

“Uh...” Gabe raised an eyebrow and gestured to camera and lights all set up in the corner. “Lui, I think you still have an outro to film.” 

“Uuuuhg, but we didn’t even... fine fine fine.” Lui ran his fingers through his hair, trying to get it back up looking good as he walked over to the lights. “Ryan, you good to film?”

“Huh? Oh, right, yeah.” The boys all came together in the end to wrap up the show. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Gabe pulled the van over into the RV park, only a few hours out of the city. It was far too late to try to keep driving, and that’s what he rigged up the van for anyways. It was going to be a lot cheaper to stay here the night than it would be to get a hotel room, and they could still stay close to the highway so they could get moving right away in the morning. The drive had started out very lively with Ryan going over the intro and outro speeches with Lui and going over some of the shots he made, marking the whiteboard with ideas for the finished product. The conversation turned a bit more passionate when Lui started bringing up the fact that they needed shots of the tunnels and why Ryan hadn’t come along, but Gabe was able to put a stop to the bickering becoming any worse with a bit of music he just turned up until everyone realized he was doing it on purpose. Gabe finally turned the music down, told the guys to make up and put the equipment away while they were driving. That had been almost four hours ago. 

Gabe tilted his head from side to side with a satisfying collection of cracks and pops. “All righty boys. We’re here. Everyone out while I get the mattress set up. Feel free to use the toilets, they’re on the side of the office building just up the road. Watson?” He opened the driver side door, and Watson scrambled over his lap to jump out into the gravel and making a run to the grass for his own bathroom break. Gabe walked around to the back of the van while the others forced the side open. 

“Oh MAN!” Ryan stumbled out of the van and reached his arms up as he stretched onto his tip toes until he almost fell back. “What a ride.” He ruffled his short black hair and looked around through the dark as he chewed absently at the pull string on his hoody. with the lines of RVs and trailers of all different models and sizes their van hardly stood out except for the large green spray-painted skull ghost on the side. “I guess we should use the bathroom while we can. You wanna come with Lui?”

Lui stepped out without grabbing his jacket, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “What, you need someone holding your hand? You’re ridiculous.” 

“W- No! No I just...!” Ryan couldn’t help the blush creeping across his cheeks. “I’m not SCARED or anything, OKAY?”

Lui stuck out his tongue teasingly. “Yeah yeah, too late to take it back. Loved the whole bit where your camera flickers and you saw eyes of the damned~” Lui chuckled at Ryan’s expense. 

Ryan on the other hand was beginning to regret telling them how scared he’d been being alone in that place and opening up about why he hadn’t gone on these trips before. He felt embarrassed now that the danger was all gone, and it’s not like he was always scared or something, but when things get creepy and he starts seeing and hearing things he’s easily panicked. He was about to walk back into the van when Lui reached out and took him by the shoulder, leading him to the gravel road leading up to the office. 

“Come on.” Lui walked with Ryan, dragging him along until he walked on his own. “I’ll keep you safe, you keep me entertained.” 

“I am NOT scared!”

“We know we know.” Lui chuckled and pat the other boy’s back. 

Gabe watched the boys head off with a humored grin. He knew they’d start getting along eventually. Ryan could be a bit of a handful and Lui was someone who could grate a bit, but they both seemed to be someone who made a real quality friend once you’ve gotten used to them. He pulled out the folded up mattress along with its pump and moved it all to the side. It only took a minute to set up for bed, the whole floor of the van covered and topped with three sleeping bags. A simple purple mummy bag for Lui, a thickly padded green plaid bag for Gabe, and an Ultra Demon Ninja Boy Double Plus themed bag for Ryan. There was also an extra large pillow that matched Gabe’s bag that was tossed up on the back seat for Watson so that he didn’t feel left out. 

It was a few minutes before Lui and Ryan returned, each sitting on the side of the van. Lui checked his phone and began setting an alarm for the morning when his stomach growled, reminding him that they hadn’t eaten anything but some candies since earlier that morning. “Hey, Holms, we have anything else in the cooler? I could really go for a quick bite before we get too comfortable.” 

Gabe walked back and opened the cooler. “Eh, nothing substantial. Just half a bag of Cheetos and some Arizonas.” 

“Blah... Anywhere close by we can pick something up?” He glanced over to Ryan, who shrugged, and then turned back to Gabe. 

“There was a gas station a bit up the road, but I can’t really take the van out of the park without having to pay to get back in again. I think it’s like... Half a mile?”

“Hmmm...” Lui leaned back into the van and grabbed for his jacket, pulling it over and making sure his wallet was in it before standing up and putting it on. “I think it’s worth it. Anyone want anything?”

“Oh...” Ryan had just taken his shoes off, tucking them under the back seats. “Uh... did you want us to come with?”

“Nah, I could use a good walk, and I have plenty of juice in my phone if I get lost. You guys stay here.” Lui sniffed and rubbed a finger under his nose before started walking out nice and slow to catch any last minute orders. 

Gabe raised a hand. “Just whatever jerky or whatever for me. I ain’t picky.” 

Ryan scoot back and crossed his legs on the mattress. “Can you get me a bag of jerky too? And some more gum? I’m all out.” He had just noticed he was still chewing his tie string and quickly pulled it from between his teeth. 

“Yeah. I’ll be back. If I’m not back in 20 minutes... just wait longer.” He flicked a peace sign and turned to pick up the pace to make his way back to the main road. 

Ryan sighed and scoot back further to lean against the back seat. He was exhausted emotionally from the ordeal earlier. He had confined in the guys, but they all agreed it sounded more like he had a weird dream after falling down after getting scared by some random tech glitches. As he was deep in thought, Watson jumped into the car and hopped over and up onto the back seat, nuzzling into Ryan’s cheek for doggy kisses. Ryan chuckled and reached back to hug the good boy. “Heeeey buddy.” Watson had been part of Gabe’s family for years, and he’d always loved Ryan. Hell, Watson loved everyone. But still...

“You getting ready for bed, my dude?” Gabe sat back onto the mattress, which bounced Ryan on the other side. He reached down to unlace his sneakers. “We should try to stay up at least until Lui it back in case we need to go to his aide. And I just noticed how hungry I am, god damn.” Tossing his shoes over by Ryan’s, Gabe turned and crawled inside, leaving the door open to let the cool mountain air flow through the van for a while. It had been getting stuffy by the end of the trip, it was great to get some fresh air to breathe. He crawled up to the back seat and sat, reaching over to give Watson a pat, and then over to Ryan to give him a similar pat. 

Ryan blushed as Gabe just naturally pet his head like that. He’d always been so forward and direct since they were in middle school, maybe that’s why they were friends. Ryan had known so many posers and fakes that it was so good to have someone rock solid and real like Gabe around. He’d wanted to make sure he never lost his friendship, so he followed him to university and studied extra hard to make sure his grades kept him there, and then even helped Gabe with HIS studies to keep him as well. When Gabe mentioned getting a group together to make friends, Ryan was the first to volunteer, long before it was decided to be a ghost hunting group. Even so, he stuck around. He leaned against Gabe’s leg, his hand reaching up to his lips. 

Gabe raised an eyebrow and looked down at Ryan for a moment. He sighed and removed his hat, tossing it on the seat next to Watson, and then worked his jacket off placing it behind him, leaving himself back in his sleeveless undershirt. He rested his strong hand on the boy’s head and rubbed around slowly with his thumb. “You’re worried about something.” 

Ryan tensed up a bit. “Why do you say that...?”

“Because you’re begging for physical attention, and you’re sucking your thumb again.” 

Ryan quickly moved his hand away from his mouth, crossing his arms defensively. “I wasn’t.... I dont suck on my thumb, jerk.” His face was turning more red. “I was just... chewing it.” 

“Hehe, I know I know. But there’s still something buggin ya. Come on, it’s just us boys in here. Ain’t that right Watson?”

“Arf!” 

“Exactly.” Gabe only broke from petting Ryan to push Watson down onto his side and giving his belly a quick pat before moving back to Ryan’s shoulder, nudging the boy’s head to lean him more comfortably against his leg. “Talk to me.” 

Ryan sighed. “I just got scared today, and then I got even more scared when I thought about telling you guys... And Lui...” 

“Yeah... I know he’s hard to get along with, but-“

Ryan shook his head, cutting off Gabe’s attempts at interjecting. “No, I mean... he’s fine. More than fine, he like... made fun of me a bit, sure, but he’s not... I mean, it feels like he’s not holding it against me. When we went over to the restroom, he’d told me that he actually was glad I came. And he wanted me to come on the next trip for sure.” Ryan chuckled despite himself. “He actually threatened to overthrow my founding position if I let little things like being scared get in the way of being part of the group. It was nice. He was real about it. Not being what I wished he was, not being what he wanted me to see him like, he was just being himself and not taking anything less than myself either. I like him.” 

Gabe grinned. “Well good! I like when my friends get along.” Gabe reached around and brushed Ryan’s hand away from his mouth. “Stop it.” 

He crossed his arms again. “Sorry. I’m out of candy.” Ryan hesitated for a moment, glancing at the open van door. “You know, Lui is gonna be gone a good bit. That shop is a good ways off, walking there and back.” 

“Yeah?” Gabe raised an eyebrow. “You think we should meet him halfway?”

Ryan rolled his eyes and sat up, turning onto his knees between Gabe’s legs. “No. I think that since we haven’t had any time to hang out for weeks, and this is the first time we’ve been alone this whole trip...” Ryan put one hand on Gabe’s thigh, rubbing his thumb down towards his groin. “Well, if I don’t have my candy... you know I have my little oral fixation.” 

Gabe went from looking lost in the conversation to a deep blush. His ears were red and he shifted his eyes down, his legs subconsciously shutting a bit as he throbbed under his zipper. “O-oh. Ooooh... We could, yeah... Haven’t done that in a long time...” He looked a mixture of excited and concerned. “But what is Lui-“

“Well, first of all, if your stories are true, he’s already seen plenty.” Ryan shifted closer, pushing Gabe’s legs open once again. “Secondly, he isn’t here now, right? So if we get going now, we can finish you off before he gets back.” Ryan slid his hand up to Gabe’s belt, noting that his friend wasn’t moving to stop him, so he opened it up. “And third... shut up and let me suck you off, Holms.”

Gabe and Ryan had been close since middle school. They became best friends through high school, and after Gabe’s first bad breakup, they had began adding benefits to their relationship. Gabe had been too nervous to even kiss his girl confidently, but Ryan wasn’t shy to show his buddy how to do it. Gabe had poked fun at him because his lips always tasted so sweet from all the candy, but kissing practice turned into more various kinds of fun. They might still poke fun at each other, but neither one ever complained about their mutually beneficial activities. 

Ryan leaned away to take off his hoodie, watching as Gabe quickly unfastened his pants and pushed them down around his ankles, his jock strap stretched over the growing member they held. He grinned and licked his lips. “Excited?” 

Gabe nodded. “Yeah. You ready?” Gabe pulled at the fabric of his jock, pulling it aside until his cock slipped out, bobbing in front of him. 

“Mmmm... I’ve been craving this, Holms.” Ryan leaned forward excitedly, not giving any pause before taking the meat in hand, holding steady before leaning down and taking the head fully and wrapping his lips tightly around his shaft. Ryan moaned, letting his tongue swirl around that meaty head as Gabe leaned his head back with a relieving sigh. 

There were some things Gabe and Ryan knew about each other that very few ever got to know. Gabe, for example, was still sexually shy, and he was really quite vanilla when it came to his preferences. He’d always shied right away from anything going near his ass, but wasn’t shy about anyone else’s. He was like a Diesel engine that was slow to start, but once you got him revving, that boy could buck strong and he could go a long long time if you let him. Ryan on the other hand was known in some circles for being a bit slutty, but while any sex was fun what he loved was sucking dick. Sucking anything really. Sucking dick, sucking tongue during a hot heavy make out, even sucking on fingers and toes, he wanted to get his tongue around whatever he was pleasuring. 

As Ryan swallowed seductively around Gabe’s dick, letting a bit more slip between his lips, he began to bob his head slowly. He let his tongue do most of the work while his fingers expertly worked the shaft he wasn’t currently around. With a smooth breath in through the nose, Ryan straightened himself and pushed down. His hand slid up Gabe’s happy trail as his lips slid down until his nose tucked into his pubes. The deep throat forced a shaking gasp from Gabe, who clenched his hand against the seat. 

“Ah...Oh fuck, Ryan... you take that dick like a pro.” Gabe took another deep breath as Ryan held his entire cock in his throat, finally pulling back, leaving the shaft nice and slick. Gabe lifted one hand back behind his head, lifting the other up to Ryan’s cheek, rubbing his thumb across his cheek. “Feels so good, baby.” 

Ryan throbbed in his pants. Not only from that nice warm cock in his mouth, the taste of Gabe’s pre on his tongue, and the deep manly scent from his groin, but the low soft praise whispered to him. Unable to help himself, Ryan reached between his legs, working his own pants open. Without taking Gabe from between his lips Ryan worked his own dick out, pulling his briefs down under his balls before beginning to stroke, pulling his foreskin back and forth over the tip, moaning heavily and hungrily. This is exactly what he needed after such a day. His mouth full, Gabe’s hand caressing his head, warm supporting words dancing across his ears, and his achingly needing cock in his hand. 

Gabe allowed Ryan to do his thing, knowing how much pleasure he actually took in just sucking him off. They’d done this so many times, Gabe had given up trying to make sure Ryan was getting as much pleasure as he was, having realized early on that just having that familiar dick tucked in his cheek was better than anything else they could do. He gently stroked Ryan’s cheek with his thumb, absently moving his hips with Ryan’s motions, the smaller more delicate fingers around his base twisting back and forth, lubed by the slick wetness left by his lips. Gabe gasped and felt his body tighten as Ryan’s tongue pulled up his base and pressed over the tip, licking at the pre collecting on his tip. He bit his lip and breathed heavily, trying to hold back from finishing too soon. He wanted Ryan to have plenty of time to relieve himself too, knowing full well that’s what the boy was doing without having to see. 

Shifting only slightly in his seat, Gabe reached his other hand down, resting each hand on Ryan’s face, cradling that adorable boy’s head and pushing his thumbs over the boy’s ears. Ryan’s eyes were half shut, lost in the lust of the moment, his lips loosely wrapped around the cock that pressed against his cheek. Gabe gently pet around those ears. “Mmmmm, yeah... Ryan, your mouth feels so hot. You’re such a good little cock sucker, aren’t you? Yeah... your tongue... do it just like that for me...” Gabe grinned as Ryan’s face blushed, soft muffled whimpers and moans escaping him as he desperately jerked himself between Gabe’s legs. “Fuck... you feeling good, buddy? Gonna make me cum. We should cum together.”

Ryan was breathing harder, his hand tightening around his and Gabe’s erections as he felt himself nearing the edge. He nodded and closed his eyes, swallowing against that member one more time before tightening his lips and really going for it. He felt Gabe’s grip on his head tighten just a bit, as if he were really fucking his mouth, but Ryan never lost control as much as he felt he was about to lose it any moment. He adjusted his position, his hips shaking as he jerked himself closer. Fuck, he was about to cum... but something wasn’t right, he wasn’t comfortable enough... He released Gabe’s base, pulling off to gasp in a breath as he quickly pulled his pants down between his knees. 

“Hah... mmm, you getting close, Ry?” Gabe gave himself a few strokes, keeping that edge as his buddy got comfy. 

“Y-yeah, sorry... “ Ryan was able to spread his legs a bit now, but just to help avoid the mess, he removed his shirt as well, laying it out in front of him. He could always toss it in the wash when he got home. As quickly as he’d left it, Ryan licked his lips and greedily leaned forward once more for that dick. Gabe aimed as Ryan took half of his length in one gulp, both moaning in unison. Without hesitation Ryan found his own cock again and was breathing heavily as he started to jerk himself, letting Gabe hold his head once again and rock his hips. Ryan kept his lips tight and his tongue moving as his brow furrowed and sweat as his focus was on his own relief. 

“Ahhh, shit baby... your mouth is so tight right now. Fuck... I’m so close...” 

“Mmmmph...!” Ryan was nearly panting, his hand stroking himself madly. He felt himself building, his balls almost twitching as they felt the need to release, but every time he felt himself nearing the edge of his climax it was like that edge creeped ever further. Like feeling like you’re going to fall only to fall among an incline of stairs. He needed to push himself more, feeling pre dripping down his fingers as he gripped himself, rocking his hips as if fucking his own hand. He felt it coming closer, fuck he was so close... so close... fuck! But it didn’t come, he was just building...!

“A-ah... Ryan, I can’t...I...” Gabe caught something in the corner of his eye. With a sharp gasp he lifted his head, his gaze catching Lui’s, who stood just outside the open van doors holding a sagging grocery bag, his eyebrow raised, a mixture of annoyance and entertainment written on his face. Gabe didn’t know what to say, Ryan hadn’t stopped, and without really meaning to in such a weird situation, he bit his lip and moaned, his body tensing as he came into Ryan’s mouth. 

Ryan moaned loudly, ignorantly unaware that he was being watched as he hungrily swallowed down Gabe’s load, making sure he didn’t miss a drop of it. He’d normally allow his friend to make a bit of a mess for the fun, but in the interest of a clean van he resisted. He moved his hand desperately, but only felt the edge he so craved becoming further away. He finally pulled back his head, letting Gabe’s softening member fall from his lips as he fell back flat on the mattress, panting heavily, his cock rock hard and throbbing between his legs. He let the cool air wash over him for a while as he tried to catch his breath, feeling a throb in his balls that he was sure was going to be an awful care of blue balls come morning. He groaned in frustration, but let himself relax. 

“... ... Ahem.” Lui looked down at Ryan, who looked up before quickly grabbing his sleeping back and backing up against the far wall of the van, trying to cover himself. Lui rolled his eyes and ended up with a grin. He kicked off his shoes and crawled into the van. “You kids, I can’t leave you alone for five minutes.”   
“I-I...Well, I thought you’d be longer...” Ryan hid his face behind his sleeping bag, but Gabe reached over and pushed it down. 

“Hehe... Sorry, Lui. I hope this isn’t awkward...” Gabe had quickly grabbed his hat and covered his modesty, and was now awkwardly trying to readjust his jock strap and pull up his jeans with one hand. 

“Pft, whatever, I’ve seen it all.” Lui worked the van door closed, pulling off his own shirt as he got ready for bed. “But Ryan, you’re all bruised up. you get hit or something?” 

Ryan looked confused, but moved his sleeping bag enough to take a peek. Lui snatched the sleeping back away, which gave Ryan a start, but he he was more confused at what he saw on his stomach just above his groin. A long light bruise seemed to be forming, though it wasn’t sore or anything. “Huh... I must have run into something after I started running around the bar.” 

“Damn...” Gabe reached over and moved Ryan’s hand away, making the boy blush as the others blatantly observed his nakedness. “Looks painful. You gonna be alright?”

“I’m fine! Just...” He turned and worked his underwear back up , letting his pants fall fully off before he slipped into his sleeping bag. “It doesn’t hurt, promise.” 

“Whatever you say.” Lui removed his pants as well, getting into his sleeping bag. He reached into the grocery bag he’d placed in the door and tossed a bag of jerky to each of the guys, as well as a pack of bubble gum over to Ryan. “We all ready to get up early tomorrow?” 

“Alarm is set.” Gabe worked his undershirt over his head, tossing it into the back, and then tossed his hat to the front seat. “You’ll get us up, wont you boy?”

“Arf!” Watson raised his head from where he’d been resting this whole time. 

Lui raised an eyebrow. “Was he there just... what, watching you guys the whole time?” 

“Pft.” Gabe reached over and pat his dog’s hind legs. “Watson doesn’t mind. We’re just wrestling around as far as he knows.” 

The retriever’s tail thumped at the attention, and then lowered his head back down and closed his eyes as soon as the petting stopped. 

“Now...” Gabe reached up and turned off the overhead lights, and then allowed himself to fall forward onto his sleeping bag. His little stunt on the inflatable mattress sent the other two boys bouncing in their bags, landing on either side of him. Gabe stretched his arms up, wiggling onto his back and letting his arms fall high to either side, nearly on top of each Ryan and Lui as he laid atop of his bag instead of inside. It took a little while, but after such an adventurous day, the three boys were soon sleeping soundly

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Ryan gasped and panted. He’d gotten home that afternoon to an empty apartment and was looking froward to some much needed relief. A porn played somewhat loudly on his laptop as he sat on the edge of his seat in nothing but his tee shirt and socks, stroking himself firmly and quickly. He didn’t need a buildup, didn’t want to sit on pomp and circumstances, he wanted to get off and relax. He was so tense after the other night, and waking up using Gabe’s chest as a pillow gave him such bad throbbing morning wood that he felt ready to pop at the drop of a hat! Still better than waking up with his face stuffed in his friend’s pit, like Lui had. 

Ryan grit his teeth, feeling that similar edge. “Ah yeah... come on come on, bitch...” Ryan lifted one hand to his mouth, slipping a finger past his lips and feeling his tongue wantingly swirl around it. He moaned on his own digits as he neared that edge... but his moans turned into heavy desperate groans of regretful frustration. He kept pushing, feeling that edge slipping away until he fell to his knees. He let his hand drop from his lips down to the ground, holding himself down as he humped into his hand. “Fu-fuck... please... please just.... a little more...Fffff...!” 

He collapsed, panting as he felt his whole lower region seem to pulse and tighten and throb, but still not over the edge... still no climax... no orgasm.... no release! He felt his head spin, light headed from such a furious attempt. He felt himself near tears. This wasn’t fair, and it didn’t make sense. Was he just that stressed? Fuck... maybe he needed to call someone over for a booty call. Get someone with a cute ass over, maybe just beat one off into that. 

Ryan stood on wobbling legs and pulled off his shirt. He wanted to take a shower, dragging his socked feet across the floor in defeat as he made his way into the bathroom. Something caught his eye in the mirror, however, and he stopped. He glanced at his waist. Around his groin from the top, between his legs and straight under his balls the bruise had...changed. It was dark. Like... almost a tattoo dark. And it was very clear. Many patterns and strange symbols that looked oddly familiar. He poked them, but there was no pain. Why hadn’t he seen it before? He traced the symbols slowly with his finger, and the image of the mask from his dreams crossed his mind. The symbols on the inside. That’s why the look familiar. He’d touched the mask, put it on... and now...

“Oh shit...”


	3. 3’s a ghostly crowd

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lui, Gabe, and Ryan have joined up again for a holiday, joined by the newest member of the group, Richard. This time no ghosts and haunted locations... Just a nice extended weekend for the paranormal investigators to have some bonding time. 
> 
> Unless...?

“Seriously though... Are you SURE we’re going to the right place?” Lui leaned his head against the chilled passenger window, watching large white mansions at the end of long decadent driveways behind decorated iron gates go slowly by off in the distance. “Pretty sure anyone who lives here owns a university or something.”

Gabe took a side glance at his phone where it was mounted on the dashboard, showing his directions. “Nope, we’re going the right way. I think Ricky’s dad was in a movie or something.”

“So now we’re going to have a celebrity in the group? Cool.” Or not... Lui imagined being fully upstaged in the videos and part of him didn’t like the idea. “Nice of him to finally join us as soon as we take a group holiday trip. What, was he too busy when we actually had research and filming to do? Pft.” 

“No no, nothing like that. Ricky’s been interested since we got the group going, but he’s like.... involved in a TON of other activities. His parents got him into track and field, tennis, fencing...” 

“This guy wields a sword?” Lui sucked his teeth and rolled his eyes. “He sounds like a preppy fancy boy born with a silver spoon shoved up his ass.” 

“He’s an okay guy. Well, I’ve only met him two or three times. Our Quarterback introduced me to his golf team leader who got us together after I’d mentioned putting together a team to hunt ghosts. He was SO into the idea, but would only join once he knew it would actually be a real thing, not a pipe dream. Since then I hadn’t been able to get anything really together. Until you showed up.” Gabe slowed down the van and turned between two large barren trees, frost making the branches seem to twinkle in the morning sun. “I showed him the video Ryan edited of our last trip and told him... well, not EVERYTHING of the first trip you and I were on, but told him we had researched the old prison. He was impressed and wanted to sign up.” 

Lui kept his head on the glass, a halo of fog forming around his hair on the window. “Sounds opportunistic. Like... hey, okay, I’M in this for the hunt. Ryan is great at the tech side, you’ve got your connections and the van and all... what’s HE bringing to the team? Is he just gonna sit around and watch while we work and then take the credit when we’re done?” 

“Well... he’s paying for this whole trip, so there’s that.” 

“... ... Hmph.” Well, that wasn’t nothing. They had a three day weekend planned at an airbnb with tours and meals and gas... it would be nice to not have to dip into personal accounts. “Guess I shouldn’t judge just yet.” 

“That’s the spirit. Hey, we’re here.” Gabe turned the van, this particular iron gate standing open and as inviting as a cold rod iron gate can be. He made his way down the long drive, his dark van with the spray painted ghost on the side completely out of place in this well-to-do neighborhood of mansions with their currently frozen fountains, frost dusted lawns of impossibly green grass despite the cold winter, stone columns and two story windows. In the circular drive near the house was a small yellow hybrid car, and Lui could just make out Ryan leaning into the driver side window before it began pulling away. His eyebrow perked up as a small Asian woman with large glasses gave him a small wave as she drove by. 

They came to a stop, and Ryan was coming up to the door when Lui pushed it open and hopped out. “Dude, who was...?”

“Oh, nothing, no one.... she was just dropping me off. Here, I’ll put my bag in the back.” Ryan quickly adjusted the backpack on his shoulders and turned towards the back of the van. He was acting a bit suspiciously, so Lui decided to press. 

“... Were you just dropped off by your mo-?”

“OH HI WATSON!” Ryan drowned out the question as he tossed his pack into the back, clapping his hands as the golden lab barked from the back seat, hopping over and out onto the pavement at Ryan’s feet excited for pets. “Oh who missed me, you did didn’t you?” 

Lui rolled his eyes. So what if Ryan’s mom dropped him off, it’s no reason to make fun of the guy. Not that he WOULDN’T poke fun just a little. He tightened his demon jacket around his shoulders and stuffed his hands into the pockets. “So, have you met the rich kid yet?”

Ryan finished Watson with a few pats before standing upright and letting the dog run off into the frosty grass at a sprint. He crossed his hands across his chest and under his pits for a touch of warmth in the brisk morning air, his mouth steaming as he chewed a rubbery piece of gum which had lost its flavor before he’d even arrived. “No, we just got here a few minutes ago, haven’t even knocked. The address is right, but I’m not so sure that I’m going to go pounding on the door of someone who probably has a private security detail ready to have my charged with trespassing.” 

Gabe stepped to the back of the car after having given himself a good stretch, and wrapped both arms around Ryan firmly from behind, lifting him a few inches off of the ground. “Mmmmph! Heya buddy!” 

“Bluuuurg~! Heeeey Holms.” Ryan stuck his tongue out for a second from being squished, but gently leaned back against Gabe as soon as his feet were let back down. “Have YOU met the rich kid?”

“Ricky? Just a time or two. I’ll go knock and see if he’s ready.” Zipping up his red down jacket, Gabe started making his way to the giant house. Watson was quickly by his side, having left abstract patterns scribbled with his paw prints through the lawn. As they approached the mansion, the doors began to draw open, and two muscular Dobermans stepped out, their ears snapping back with a heavy bark! 

Watson quickly ran and hid behind Gabe, peeking from behind his legs. Gabe had stopped and put his hands up as the guard dogs glared and softly growled, but a sharp snap from the doorway made the Dobermans stop and turn. Someone came out of the mansion doors, a guy with a black and gold letterman jacket over a pink pastel shirt and white slacks, dirty blond hair with pale dyed accents, and green tinted circular shades over his eyes. He pat his leg, the Dobermans walking up to him before he raised his hand and they both obediently sat, completely ignoring the trespassers. 

Gabe grinned and opened his arms. “Ricky!” He walked forward for a hug, and the boy tried to reach out for a handshake, but Gabe just wrapped his arms around him and squeezed. “It’s been forever, man. Glad you can come!” 

“Hnng! Y-yeah, uh...” Richard awkwardly pat Gabe’s back until he was finally let go. “Sorry about the dogs, they’re dad’s. Titus, Brutus, inside. Go to bed.” The Dobermans excitedly ran back into the house as a short stout woman came out rolling a large piece of luggage in each hand and a leather backpack on her back. Richard turned to her with an annoyed sigh. “Melby, I said I’d get it don’t worry.” 

The woman smiled over to Richard and rolled everything closer to him, stacking everything into a neat pile. “It’s not a problem, Richard. Is there anything else I can do for you before you depart? You have your father’s schedule, feel free to message me at any time of course-“

“Melby...” Richard turned away somewhat embarrassed, addressing Gabe. “My dad’s personal assistant...” 

“More the family assistant.” The woman stepped forward, her heels clicking on the cold concrete, reaching out and shaking Gabe’s hand. “Melby Olsen. Please take care of Richard, and if you need anything-“

Richard once again cut off the professional woman, rolling his eyes as he grabbed a piece of luggage and shoved it at Gabe to push him away from the conversation as well. “We’re leaving... tell dad I said I love him and everything. Mom too once she’s back.” 

Melby answered, but Richard was paying her no mind as he dragged a bag behind him and pushed Gabe along as well. “Dear gawd I need at least five minutes away from this family, I swear. Literally I haven’t been able to get a moment to myself in weeks.” He parked his bags at the back of the van and left them for Gabe to put inside. His eyebrows raised as he walked up to the two remaining members of the team, his eyes quickly looking up and down each one. “You... are Lui, right? You’re like, the face of the videos and stuff.” 

Lui kept his hands in his pockets and gently thrust his chin up. “Yeah. Sup?”

“Then you’re Ryan.” Richard glanced over and let his glasses slide down his nose just a bit to look over them. “Camera guy?”

Ryan nodded, and the three stood in silence for an awkward few moments. “So...” 

Gabe finally broke the awkwardness, slamming the back of the van shut and walking up behind Richard, putting his arm around him. “Okay, boys, this is Ricky, Ricky these are the boys. We’ve got a long treck to get to our airbnb, and that’s plenty of time to exchange numbers.” He gave a gentle shove to direct the new guy into the van and gave a sharp whistle for Watson.

Richard stumbled for the door before turning and pushing his shades back up. “Actually, if it’s all the same, I think I’ll take the front. That way Gabriel and I can-“ He stopped talking as Watson ran up to the van, cutting him off as he hopped right in through the front window. 

Lui pat Richard’s arm as he walked by into the van. “You’ll get used to it.” 

Ryan followed right behind, adding his own pat to the new guy’s arm. “Watson always gets shotgun. Come on, you can sit next to me.” 

Lui laughed from inside the van. “There’s only one seat Ryan, DUH he’ll sit next to you!” 

“I’m just trying to be nice!” 

Richard closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and sighed. This could still be a fun trip, he didn’t want to judge too quickly. It’s no limo, but this could still work... 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“So you guys just... sleep in the van?” Richard sat on the floor of the vehicle with his legs crossed, bouncing gently with the roughness of the road with his back against the front passenger seat, facing the rear. “I mean, why not just get a hotel?” 

Lui waited for Ryan to take his hand out of the large bag that sat between them before reaching in himself for some more fries. “Well, not all of us can afford to book out the Ritz for the weekend. It saves us a bulk of money on the trip, and that means we can actually afford to pick up food.” 

Richard watched as both Ryan and Lui practically smeared salt and grease over their lips, shaking his head before taking a bite of his salad bowl. “Well, you don’t have to worry about that when I’m on the trip. I can get us a room, and that way we can all have a hot shower and a proper breakfast and a comfortable bed.” 

Gabe had already finished his burger, the wrapper balled up in his hand as he continued to drive. “Well, I dunno. I kinda think staying in the van is part of the trip. We’re out hunting ghosts, you know? It’s like a gritty dark mystery adventure. If we all curled up in puffy sheets and walked around in clean robes-“

“Yeah.” Ryan finally wiped his face before sipping from his orange soda. “I mean, it’s not the MOST comfortable, and sharing the floor with everyone was a bit cramped and all, but I kinda... liked it.” 

Everyone was nodding in agreement except for Richard, who cringed at the thought of sleeping on the floor of the van where they’d just ate their fast food road lunch cramped up between three other guys and a dog. “Well... TONIGHT at least we have a room. We’re not going to be doing any actual hunting or anything, so we can just relax.” 

Gabe grinned from the front seat. “But of course, you never know what we might see... especially not in Saint Stirling village.”

Ryan perked up his head, sucking on a piece of ice, letting it slide over his tongue from one cheek to the next. “W-why? What’s supposed to be in Saint Stirling village?”

Lui wiped his fingers on some napkins and climbed back up onto the proper back seat, kicking one leg up up with him and looking over at the other passengers, especially letting his eyes rest onto Ryan’s. “Oh... you haven’t heard the tales, Ryan? No wonder you came so willingly, especially in the middle of winter.”

Richard rolled his eyes and closed the plastic salad bowl, leaning over to toss it away and began cleaning up the back of the van. He listened, however. He hadn’t heard much about why Gabe was so insistent on this small village out in the middle of the woods in the mountains. 

Lui continued. “Saint Stirling village is high up in the Gray Vail mountains, surrounded by what are now known as the moaning woods. Long ago, cut off from the rest of civilization for almost a century due to massive snow falls, the people of Saint Stirling claim that the snowfall simply didn’t stop for years on end. A frozen fog surrounded them, trapping them... but once a year, the fog would thicken and blanket over the whole town. It would be later found that this day fell on Christmas every year... and in that dark choking fog, people would disappear.” Lui looked around the van, having captured Ryan completely, who’s eyes have gone wide, and who was actively chewing on his thumb while Richard had begun to lean in with interest. Gabe grinned from the front, having been the one to bring this tale up to Lui in the first place and helped do the research for the trip. 

“The elders,” Gabe picked up from where Lui had stopped, “all claim the same thing, that no one was foolish enough to leave into the fog. Not for years. The town thrived on their nearby resources. Livestock, greenhouse farms growing green onions and carrots, a nearby river that flowed full of fish even in the coldest days... everyone knew that leaving through the fog would get you killed. Yet when the fog blanketed the town, people would vanish. And it was always those who caused trouble with the town, and who openly mocked their keeper...” 

“Th-their keeper?” Ryan gulped and released his thumb from between his teeth as soon as he noticed every was chewing. He took another drink and got a thick cube of ice to suck on. “W-what do you mean? What keeper?”

“Well,” Lui leaned in. “This village, haunted by a never ending winter and sounded by a wall of unpenetratable fog...were hunting grounds. Kept like private land, protected and provided for by some being who would every year cull out the weak, in order to feast. The elders knew they were being kept... and through ancient tales they found the name of their keeper. The beast who swept away the non believers, and the sinners... the naughty boys and girls, once a year. The name of their tormentor... the Krampus!”

Ryan whimpered as the ice in his mouth cracked from between his clenched jaws. Richard, however, scoffed. “Krampus... like, anti-Santa?”

Gabe have a hearty laugh from the front seat. “Haha! Well, basically yeah. Takes all the naughty children and according to some legends stuffs them into his sack and takes them away to eat. Lots of different tales though give different details.”

“M-maybe...” Ryan tried to straighten himself up where he sat. “Maybe we could just take some video around the airbnb, and no go out looking for-“

“And here we are!” Gabe began slowing the van as Lui and Richard both crawled towards the front to see out the windows. 

Saint Stirling village was a small mountain village and looked very much the part, with few modern additions. Despite the foot or more of snow on the ground and on the stone and brick houses, the roads were clean. At the entry of the town was a small brick hut with a large iron arm that blocked the roadway. As they approached, a woman with a weathered wrinkled face bundled in a thick quilted shawl and wearing a light brown Ushanka came out to meet them. She crossed the street and walked up to Gabe’s window, signaling him to roll it down. 

Her voice was firm but kind sounding. “Welcome to Saint Stirling. Are you with a tour group?”

“Nope.” Gabe grinned, resting his arm on the door. “Well, kinda? We’re gonna tour around a bit, but it’s just us.”

She nodded. “Then you must be the Holmgren party, staying at Martin’s summer cabin. We’ve been expecting you.” The lady smiled wide, her teeth slightly discolored but her expression bright. “Bless you all for coming. Unfortunately there are some restrictions to the town touring right now.” The woman leaned gently against the car and turned, pointing up into the town, up the hill where a large building was settled overlooking the rest of the village. “The building at the very top is the Wagner manor. Belonging to the oldest family who first settled in these mountains. Normally it’s one of the main touring attractions. However one of the Wagner family descendants Albert recently passed away, and his whole family have decided to gather in their old home to read his will.”

“Oh that kinda sucks. But the rest of the town should be open right?” Gabe looked hopefully at the old woman, but his face sank as she slowly shook her head. 

“At the moment the village is open, but many are preparing for a possible storm that is coming in from the North East. You came at a very difficult time, unfortunately. If the storm blows over, then perhaps the town will be open to tour tomorrow, but I suggest tonight just staying in your cabin. And make sure to lock your windows and doors... and make sure you close your chimney as well.” 

Ryan gulped from the back and leaned forward between Lui and Richard. “Wait, why? Have there been... burglaries or something?”

“No...” The old woman looked up and down the road, as if seeing if any hidden eyes were on her. “Not many people around here remember... when the Krampus would come during the night to snatch away the townsfolk.” 

Richard rolled his eyes. “Oh come on...”

Lui elbowed Richard in the side. “Don’t be rude. This is their town.” 

The old woman looked back worryingly at the rich boy. “Non believers were always a favorite. He would take them away to make sure his name was remembered. The fog has lifted, but with this storm...Just be careful, young ones.” The old woman gave Gabe simple directions to the cabin, and then went back to the brick hut, pulling a large switch that lifted the iron barricade. And like that, the group were off to their accommodations. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Lui entered the cabin first, which was located only a small ways out of the small village, and was one of the very few buildings made of wood instead of brick. It was small, but the space heater in the main room gave them a nice warm welcome. Lui and Ryan each carried their backpack, tapping snow off of their shoes before coming in, and taking their wet shoes off just inside before stepping onto the large main rug. Watson ran in quickly behind them and gave a quick shake before bounding over the carpet and sniffing across the floors and towards the different rooms. 

The place looked very nice, with deep red rugs to keep your feet from the cold hardwood floors that quietly creaked and moaned as you walked. There was a small kitchen with a gas burner, and a small dining room table just big enough for the four of them. A back patio branched off from behind the kitchen, but it was covered in snow so they kept that door well closed. There was a sofa facing a very small tv in the corner of the room nearby the over-sized fireplace, which had a fresh stack of kindling piled carefully on the grates, a store bought starter log in the middle for easy lighting. It was really nice. 

Richard came in next, slipping off his shades before kicking his boots off at the door. “Well... a bit cozy.” He walked in straight to the doors that lead to the bedroom and peeked in. He noted two bunk beds, one on each wall, leaving the center of the room bare. Perfect for the four of them. “Yes... this’ll do. Holms? You can just leave my bags in the bedroom, Kay?”

Gabe came inside, lugging a large piece of luggage in each hand and an extra leather backpack across his chest, his own pack behind him. He tapped his boots, but didn’t come in, just set the bags all down just inside the entryway. “Woof, these are heavy... I’m actually going to clean out the van and get it parked under the carport, make sure everything is ready for when we need to go out again. Would you guys mind, uh...?” He gestured to the luggage, and Lui nodded, grabbing Gabe’s backpack and carrying it off to the bedroom. “Thanks man.” 

Richard was forced to move his own bags into the bedroom, but quickly placed them on the bottom bunk closest to the closet. While Ryan and Lui both just set their bags down and went to check out the rest of the cabin, Richard took his time unpacking his bags, using his own hangers to fill the closet before folding his under things into one of the bedside drawers.

Back in the living room, Ryan had taken a seat on the sofa, cross tucking his mismatched socked feet under him while Lui stood in front of the space heater to get his own feet nice and toasty. 

“So.” Ryan rocked gently on the sofa. “The mansion is a no-go. What else was planned for this anti-Santa haunted adventure?”

Lui took off his jacket, leaving himself in just his black tee shirt. “Well, this place is very small but it has a recommended local restaurant for dinner, the whole place is pretty unique so we can probably just drive around town... Hopefully the Wagner family doesn’t stay the whole weekend and the mansion opens up for tour again before we leave, that has a huge wealth of Krampus stories and such. Apparently they were the founding family, and had a lot of experience with those stories.”

“I’m actually okay NOT going to that mansion, if I’m being honest.” Ryan rubbed the back of his head with a shy grin. 

Richard sighed. “Really? The camera man is too scared to go to a tourist attraction because of some ghost stories?”

“Hey, I’m not... SCARED to go. I mean, they do group tours, it’s obviously safe. Isn’t it?” Ryan was biting his lip. 

“Come on, Ry-guy.” Lui walked over and flopped onto the sofa next to his buddy. “This isn’t supposed to be an investigative trip anyways. Just a nice relaxing weekend together. We just thought the Krampus background of the town kinda kept with our theme.” 

“Okay okay, fair enough.” Ryan leaned back against the firm cushions of the sofa. “So, dinner?” 

Lui nodded. “I think that’s a good idea. We should probably head out soon so that we miss the storm.”

The boys heard Gabe tapping his boots outside before opening the door, but that did little good, as when he came inside his jacket was covered with ice and snow. “Ahem... so, that storm is kinda here...” 

“What?” Lui turned in his seat and pulled the curtain back from the window. The outside was beginning to darken, the sun blocked by thick clouds and heavy flakes of snow switching back and forth with small eddys of wind. As the wind moved back and forth, small crystals of ice kicked up with the larger ones, creating a swirling fog-like mist near the ground, making it impossible to see the road across the front yard. “Damn... that blew in way faster than I thought.”

“Don’t worry.” Richard had pulled out his phone. “I’ll just order for delivery. I’m sure they’re used to the weather, they’ll be able to get to us.” He turned on his phone and tired to open his delivery app, but the loading screen held strong, and it wasn’t long before Richard realized he had no signal. “Dammit... I can’t get through. Either the snow is too thick to get a signal through or this place is so old they dont even have a decent cell tower.” 

“And given the kinda place this is,” Lui had raised an eyebrow, “I doubt they have Tuber Eats.” 

“Don’t worry.” Gabe removed his jacket and hung it on the back of the door, kicking off his boots before heading into the kitchen. “The owners said they always left some food around that we could help ourselves to.” Gabe opened cupboards, drawers, and the fridge, looking around. “Ah... though not very much. Peanut butter... some pasta... jars of sauce... a few eggs, bottled water...” 

Richard sighed openly again. “This is gonna be a long night.” 

The boys made themselves comfortable. Ryan decided they should take showers, and since there was only the one he decided to go first. By the time he was done, dressed in his dark pajama pants and oversized anime tee shirt, Gabe had decided that spaghetti was going to be the best meal option with their current rations and had filled a large pot with water, waiting for it to boil. As the windows began to darken, he worked to light the fireplace while Ryan sat at the table with Richard, who had found a stack of board games in the hallway closet. They played mancala, Richard showing off a few simple strategies as he continued his winning streak game after game. 

Once Lui was out of the shower, he came out in his boxers and sleeveless undershirt, switching spots with Richard and taking over the game while the prep boy took his turn to wash. Richard grabbed a small faux leather bag with him into the bathroom, and he planned on being a while. 

Facial exfoliate, tweezer pull any stray eyebrow or nose hair, body scrub, shampoo and volumeizing conditioner, body lotion, facial serum, eye creme, and finally facial lotion with vitamin C and SPF 15 protection. As he blow dried his hair, very careful to make sure to dry down to the roots, Richard contemplated what he’d learned about the boys in the other room. He could admit to himself that they were all attractive in their own ways, but they were certainly not the kind of people he was used to. He was used to people compartmentalizing themselves, holding to strict guidelines and boundaries, and being all together mistrusting behind a porcelain smile. These guys were... weird. They tended to speak their minds from the get go, and while he’d known Gabriel was a hugger, it even seemed the other two were very comfortable horse playing too. That sort of brotherly physical affection, bear hugs and wrestling and noogies, they can make a hopeless gay prep boy jealous. 

Standing in front of the tiny cabin mirror, Richard found himself slipping his smooth lotioned hand past his waist and feeling his own excitement. He cursed himself silently for being so easily wound up. He hadn’t been able to date anyone since high school, always afraid his parents would find out. He thought he’d get away during college, but his father made sure to find some way to be nearby no matter what. It was infuriating... someday he’ll have some freedom. Maybe he’ll try one of those hook up apps the next time these guys take him on a trip somewhere far from home...

Wearing white silk pajamas and fuzz lined slippers, Richard finally came out of the bathroom behind a wall of steam that spilled out before him. He seemed to be right on time as Ryan was just starting to eat and Lui was being served a large plate of spaghetti in a jarred sauce. Gabe had even found some garlic salt and sprinkled it over buttered toast, deeming it garlic bread and claiming diner a success. Certainly not a five star meal, but with the blizzard outside, the warm plate was actually almost heaven. The four ate together, discussing the possibilities of the next morning. 

Bedtime finally came, and while Richard made his way to the bedroom, the other boys decided it would be more fun to lay out the sleeping bags and sleep on the floor near the fireplace and tell stories. Richard was NOT interested in sleeping on the floor, so just told everyone good night and shut the bedroom door. The firelight crept under the door, so Richard slipped on his sleep mask, and settled in. He could hear the boys’ voices from the other room, but even with the murmuring and giggling of whatever ghost stories and such they were telling, it wasn’t long before Richard found himself slipping to sleep. 

Richard slept well, until something just didn’t feel right. He felt himself wake up, but didn’t want to move. He was still tired, his eyes covered, vision basked in darkness, the voices still murmuring in the background... then the soft moan caught his attention. The voices had changed... it was still the guys, but they were hushed, heavy, and heated. 

“Fuck, Holms, you need to loosen up.” It was Lui’s voice, who sounded slightly out of breath. “It’s nothing you haven’t seen before anyways.” 

“Y-yeah, but Ricky is right in the next room...” Gabe spoke in the most hushed voice. “I don’t want to make things... awkward.” 

“Mmmm... with our track record, he’s either gonna have to deal with it, or he’s gonna have to leave, because have you seen our boy here? Ryan is so pent up he’s practically humping the floor. Can’t even wait to take my cock out of his mouth.” 

Ryan’s voice sounded, but only as a needy whimper followed by a very sloppy moan. At this point a very curious Richard has slipped out of bed and sat beside the doorway, listening. His face was blushed, he could feel the heat rising in his cheeks, and he held one hand over his mouth to stop him from making any sound as he eavesdropped. 

Lui moaned. “Fuck, he’s taking me all the way to the base... Ryan is like a bj pro.” 

“Yeah...” Gabe shifted where he sat, leaning closer to the floor... possibly closer to Ryan. “He’s such a great little cock sucker, aren’t you, buddy? Yeah, your lips feel so damn good...” 

Richard needed to know what was going on, so he very carefully lowered himself to the floor and tried to peek out under the door, which had a sizable gap to the floor. Everything was sideways, but he felt himself throb at the scene before him. Lui was leaning back against the sofa, his boxers pulled down under his nuts, both arms resting on the sofa spread out and enjoying himself. Ryan was laying on his front, Lui’s legs draped over his shoulders as he bobbed his head on the other boy’s dick. His eyes seemed unfocused, his hair a mess, and he was indeed seemingly to basically hump at the floor as he pressed himself down, his nose pressed into Lui’s hairless groin. Gabe was nearby, still fully dressed, leaning down to pet Ryan’s head with one hand as he encouraged him and said how good he was doing, his other hand slipping down to grope and knead at the boy’s butt. 

“Ryan, you want me to give you a little attention down there, huh? Just lift your hips buddy, there you go...” Gabe slid his hand down, and Ryan gave out a pathetically needy whimper. “Fuck, buddy, you’re throbbing so bad down here.” 

“Hehe, he loves having a nice cock between his lips, don’t you Ry?” Lui lifted his hips gently pushing deeper into Ryan’s mouth, the poor boy nearly cross eyed. “Mmmm... I feel like I’m getting close. You wanna take a mouth full, buddy? I bet you dont wanna miss a drop, do you? Bet you’re aching to take this...” 

Even Richard was feeling the heat of the moment, finding himself rubbing the front of his pajamas and biting his lip as he awkwardly watched the scene unfolding in front of him. He found himself wondering how far they would go... how far they’d get before-

All four boys jumped, and Watson hopped up from in front of the fireplace, when the phone on the wall in the kitchen loudly rang. Everyone paused where they were for a moment until the ringing continued, and then as if their situation finally occurred to them, they all separated. Lui pulled his boxers up, Ryan rolled away and curled his legs up, looking very frustrated that he wouldn’t be getting off, and Gabe actually stood and left to answer the phone. 

“H-Ahem...H-hello?” Gabe awkwardly answered, as if afraid the person on the other line would be able to tell what they’d been doing. “Yes. Yes, just here for the weekend. Uh huh. ... ... Wow, really? No, I... I fully understand. Yes, everything is locked. W-... well, If you need more searching eyes or anything, I’m sure we... uh huh... Yes, no that’s true...” Gabe looked concerned, but everyone else could only look on confused. Even Richard had finally opened the door and leaned into the hall, his sleep mask resting on his forehead as they all watched Gabe on the phone. 

Gabe continued on for a while, and finally hung up. Everyone waited for an explanation, and finally it was Lui who broke the silence with a “So?”

“O-oh... So.” Gabe rubbed his head. “Soooo one of the inheritors at the mansion was apparently kidnapped by the Krampus...?”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It was nearly midnight, and the roads were dusted with freshly fallen snow, whisping back and forth in the wind of the storm. Gabe could barely see where he was going, his headlights illuminating only a few feet in front of the car before lighting up a wall of swirling icy mist. Thankfully this small town was very simple, and the main road followed straight up to the large Wagner mansion, so despite the conditions he was able to slowly make his way without issue. 

Pulling up to the mansion might have been cool during the day, the pictures on the brochures showing grand stone walls and a haunting black roof, strange gargoyles perched over windows and stone sentinels standing at the front doors as if to intimidate intruders from entering. Now they could barely see the building even as they drove around the circular drive to the entrance, only a soft orange glow from the windows pierced through the snow. 

A man in all black, his face wrapped in a scarf and a thick cap pulled over his head below the ears came to the window, using the van to block some of the wind as he knocked heavily on the glass. When Gabe lowered it, the man demanded, “Who are you? We are closed! With this weather, you’re crazy to even be out!” 

Gabe hesitated, but Richard nudged him and gestured to the badge hanging around his neck. “Oh, yeah...” Gabe took the lanyard and pulled it over his head, handing the badge over to the man. “We’re the, uh...” 

Richard cut in. “We’re with WSC Investigative News. We’ve been invited by the Wagner family to report on and investigate the disappearance of their sister. We don’t have long, just tell us where we can park.” Richard’s confidence and demanding voice caught the man off guard, who looked at the badge, which clearly stated their company and deemed them members of the official press. 

“Oh, I see, right...” He hesitated before handing the badge back. His voice was raised over the blowing wind. “No one should be coming after you. Just leave the vehicle here at the front. I’ll show you inside.” He lead the way to the front door, the side door of the van groaning open and all four boys following as bundled up as possible, even Watson wearing a thick scarf around his neck. The man opened the front door and ushered everyone inside. 

The entryway of the mansion was at least twenty feet tall, the floors made of large flat tiles covered in a weathered rug covered in wet spots from where shoes had been left covered in snow, some of them caked in mud. The boys shook the snow from their jackets and removed them, the room nice and warm, and hung the clothes on large iron hooks that lined the wall. Watson gave himself a good shake before trotting further into the mansion to sniff around. 

The man in black did not remove his jacket however. “You can proceed in. Take the main hallway down, and you’ll find the library on your right hand side on the ground floor. The family is gathered in there. Security have been expressly forbidden to go inside for the night. Family only, though if you were invited then it’s alright.” He sniffed, glancing over his shoulders at the front door, obviously not wanting to head back out into the storm. “Is there anything else I can do for you before you head in?” 

Lui had stepped up from the tile onto the hardwood floor of the entryway, where his socks wouldn’t get wet from the dropped snow on the rug nearer the entrance. He looked at the walls adored with large portraits, all of them featuring hunters and workers and families, but none showing a hint of greenery. All based in the snow, or inside near a fireplace with snow shown through the windows. “Hmm... Just one thing.” He turned to the security guard. “Why are you here?”

“Hmm? Oh.” The man straightened himself. “The Wagner mansion is a very important building to Saint Stirling village. As it is, Albert Wagner has always made sure to pay for the building to be watched day and night, no matter the weather, whether tours were taking place or no. He still lived upstairs in the master bedroom, so I guess it was always a privilege of his to have his own private security as well. Now that Albert has passed away, I don’t know for how long we’ll be working here, to be honest. I guess it’s up to his children... and for that I have little hope.” The security sniffed once more and tightened his coat before going back out into the dark and cold. 

The boys all stood in the entryway together looking around in awe. All except for Richard, who had begun walking automatically down the hallway before noticing he wasn’t being followed. “Guys? You coming or what?” 

Gabe was tugging at the iron hook in the wall next to where he hung his coat. “Man, these all look hand made, they’re all a bit different. Sturdy too, I bet I could...” He pulled hard and felt himself lifting off of the ground before letting go. “Ha! Cool...” 

Ryan twisted a fanny pack around his waist, pulling it to his front to grab a piece of hard candy along with his phone, which he used to take a few pictures right away. “Man... do you think they’ll open up for tours again while we’re here?”

Lui chuckled. “Not if this sister was actually just kidnapped, no. They’ll block it all off as a crime scene. Come on, let’s go meet the family.” They all finally began to follow Richard down the long hallway. The lights along the hall were dimly lit, leaving the stone walls dark, large frames lining the hall showing old pictures and giving detailed information about the building’s history, obviously all part of the tour. “Hey, Ricky, is anyone going to call in and check that press badge?” 

Richard shrugged. “Nah, why would they? If they did they probably wouldn’t get a hold of anyone until tomorrow anyways, and then what are they gonna do, arrest us?”

Ryan held his candy between his teeth and gulped. “You think... I mean, that can’t ARREST us for this.... can they?”

“Pft, yeah they can.” Richest scoffed at the idea. “But not like they could hold us. My dad would send Melby and she’d sort it out. My mom owns the Whispering Spirits Clinic, which has their investigative team, so it’s all technically legit. I just don’t happen to ACTUALLY work there, just have access to their press documents.” 

Ryan didn’t look very sure about the whole thing, but didn’t have time to argue before they came to a large set of double doors which stood slightly ajar. They heard voices inside, and decided to let themselves in. Inside was a massive library, walls lined with books, a huge fireplace along the far wall with a massive portrait of an old bearded man posed in front of the same fireplace it was hung over. Portrait-ception? There were multiple tables and large reading chairs strewn about, but no one was sitting. A group of four people all stood near the fire, turned to look at the boys coming inside. 

The oldest looking of the bunch stepped forward, a man with salt and pepper hair that seemed to be thinning but expertly styled and lifted to hide any baldness. his voice was very deep and raspy, like a man who smoked far too many cigars. “You must be the investigators my brother hired. Let me explain...” 

The four people in the room were all the children of the late Albert Wagner. The oldest was Alan, the man who first greeted them. He and his sister Brenda, a woman in a finely tailored suit and darkly dyed hair pulled into a tight bun, were both in their mid 40s and owned a real estate company together. Their younger siblings, Hoyt and William 30 and 32 respectively, were half brothers both in jeans and flannel with the older wearing a long goatee while hhis younger brother was clean shaven, and were both born from Albert’s second wife, who passed away a few years back. They each had moved far away and got jobs working in large warehouses, but William had most recently moved back to take care of his aging father. Jennifer, the missing sibling, was the youngest at only 19. She has been away at university until only this past week coming back to the family mansion on the news of her father’s death. She had been there for three days before only the past night disappearing. It was assumed she was in grieving and needed space, but soon things began to become suspicious. 

“You see...” William, the one who had been living in the mansion with their father explained, “We had just read our father’s will. It had been given to me by my father’s lawyer, and it revealed that he would split all of his wealth and properties evenly between his children as long as we could share this home together for a night and share in his memories... He was always hoping we would come together like a family-“

Brenda scoffed. “Like a family... it was you and that brother of yours who decided to move out to labor away instead of staying with the family business-“

“FAMILY business?” Hoyt looked like he wanted to spit on the ground. “Just because you and Alan became real estate brokers while William and I were in school doesn’t make it a FAMILY business. It’s YOUR business, Brenda.” 

The arguing picked up, and Lui, Richard, Ryan and Gabe all sat awkwardly listening, like watching a house fire slowly burn unable to do anything. Watson, who laid under Gabe’s chair looking as annoyed as a dog could, gave a sharp loud bark, which startled the family into a moment of silence. Lui then cleared his throat. “So... you read the will, and you need to stay in the mansion. And then?” 

William continued. “I’m sorry... The reading of the will happened yesterday morning, and shortly after we all departed to our own rooms. When we came back for lunch, Jennifer never showed up. We didn’t think anything of it until she didn’t come down for tea either. We noticed she wasn’t in the mansion, and then earlier this evening we went outside to see if her car was still here.”

Alan then cut in, handing Lui his phone to show a picture. “That’s when we found these.” 

Everyone leaned in to see the picture, a line of footprints in the snow alongside two lines, as if something were dragged along. The next photo was a closer view of the prints, which were like hooves , and a red boot stuck in the snow in one of the dug up lines. Lui went back and forth with the pictures. “I’m guessing the boot belonged to Jennifer?” He looked up, seeing the family all solemnly nodding. “And where did you find these prints?”

Alan took back his phone. “Around the back of the mansion. They follow along the back of the house right past Jennifer’s window, and lead out into the woods.” 

“Well.” Lui leaned back in his seat and pressed his fingertips together in front of his face. “Interesting to say the least.” 

Gabe nodded. “Maybe she got a horse?” The rest of the group looked over at him. “... What? They’re hoof prints. What else could it be?”

Hoyt, standing nearest to the fireplace was the one to answer this time. “The Krampus...” As if on cue, the windows rustled in the wind and a distant thunder muffled by the snow rumbled. 

There was a silence for a moment, and then Richard stood. “Well, let me just speak with my colleagues, we’ll come up with a bit of a plan, YOU all just stick around. Obviously you don’t want to leave the house, or you’ll lose your inheritance.” Richard walked over to the front window which cut through the shelves of books, followed by his teammates. Leaning gently forward, everyone joined in, huddling in a small circle shoulder to shoulder as Watson squeezed in between Ryan’s legs to the middle and sat. “Okay... what are we thinking?”

Ryan cleared his throat. “Well, if it WAS just a made up story-“

“Of course it is.” Richard rolled his eyes. “There is no evil Santa kidnapping people, ESPECIALLY when there’s a lot of money involved!”

“Hey now...” Gabe gave a gentle nudge to Richard’s arm. “You can’t rule it out at the drop of a hat. We’ve seen some very weird stuff.” 

“Weird can be explained away. It’s all fun when it’s a haunted tunnel or some creepy building, but we’re talking about real crime here.” Richard snapped back. “We came in for a tour, but this is something we need to take seriously. Ryan, I want you to document as much as possible. You have your camera?”

Ryan pulled out his phone and went back into his fanny pack for a small gimbal and a battery pack, hooking everything up. “Crazy, the new phones have better cameras than a lot of the pro systems. Sound isn’t as good, but I can fix a lot in post.” 

“Good.” Richard took off his colored glasses and slipped them into his shirt pocket. “Then let’s go through the story so far and think. Is there anything we’re missing?” 

As the boys began to talk about the facts as they were presented and tried to figure out what steps to take to look for clues, both for crime and supernatural involvement, a shrieking scream came from the doorway! They all turned, seeing only three of the remaining siblings by the fireplace. 

“Hey!” Lui looked back and forth. “Where’s your brother? Where’s William?”

Brenda held her hand to her chest, her face gone a shade pale. “He... He went to the kitchens to fetch a bottle of wine.”

“Damn it... When we SAY stick around, we MEAN to STICK AROUND!” Lui and Gabe were the first to charge for the door, followed quickly by Richard, and then hesitantly by Ryan, who knew that he needed to capture the footage. Watson whimpered and stuck back with Ryan, hie ears down and tail tucked down in fear. 

Lui burst into the hallway, looking up and down the long dark stretch, his eyes seeing a shadow down towards the back, and then something glowing red... as his mind came into focus along with his eyes, he felt a slight chill down his spine. “That’s...” 

Gabe was quickly beside him, followed by Richard. They all watched as some hunkering figure wrapped in tattered rags dragged a large patchy bag across the floor, a pair of legs in worn socks sticking out of the top. The figure glared down the hall, eyes casting a red glow across its own face, the shape of curled horns holding up a veil of red and black cloth. It looked huge, having to lean down into a doorway as it hissed horribly, dragging the sack behind as it moved out of the hall. 

Ryan was quickly behind them, holding the camera. “D-did you guys see anything?”

Lui grabbed Ryan’s arm and pulled him into a run down the hall. “You have to BE there to catch it on camera! Come on!” They ran as fast as they could to the end of the hall, turning into a new hallway, the floor thick with a settled mist that hadn’t seemed to have been there before, but the hulking beast, as slow as it had seemed, was nowhere to be seen. “Where... You guys saw it, didn’t you? And in the bag...” 

“William.” Richard panted from the run and sighed. “Dammit... SOMEthing dragged him away. What was it?” He glared over at Gabe. “And don’t you DARE say the Krampus.” 

“I dont have to... you just did for me.” 

Cautiously, the four went back to the library to find Hoyt and Brenda still standing by the fireplace, looking worried while Alan paced back and forth on the rug. “Well!?” The older man yelled, stopping in his tracks to turn to his young ‘investigators’. “Did you see what happened to my brother? Is he okay?”

The boys all looked at each other. Richard cleared his throat. “I think we should all sit down...” 

~ ~ ~ ~ 

They had been in the library in near silence for almost an hour now. It was unanimously decided that everyone had to stay in the library no matter what in order to make sure no one was picked off. If this were a kidnapper then they’d have to fight everyone, and if it were the Krampus... well, Richard was sure it wasn’t the Krampus, or so he kept telling everyone. 

Brenda found a bottle of scotch inside of a cabinet shaped like a globe, and she poured some glasses for her and her siblings. She even found some ice for herself that Hoyt had brought in a bucket earlier, and she offered drinks for the boys. Ryan and Gabe each accepted some water, but Lui and Richard were too busy trying to think through what they’d seen. 

The fire was dying down to a few small flames on a bed of glowing embers, but no one dared head out to fetch more wood. The grandfather clock near the hallway door clicked on and on, the minute hand turning so dreadfully slow, the clicking seeming to echo in the large room, time however feeling still. 

“Ugh... I dont feel good...” Ryan rubbed his forehead, the ice he’d been sucking on clicking against his teeth. 

Gabe had put his empty glass down a while ago, and rubbed the boy’s back gently. “You stressing out? Just take some deep breaths man.” 

“I feel like I’m gonna throw up... and my head hurts...”

Lui finally stood from where he and Richard had been silent for a good while now, unable to think of any further action. “Why don’t you lie down on one of the recliners a bit. We’ll probably be here all night, I doubt anything will happen while we’re all here together. I wont be going to sleep anytime soon.” In truth Lui was fighting the urge to yawn. It was well past two in the morning, but he knew he could pull an all nighter for something this crazy. 

“Yeah man.” Gabe helped Ryan up and started walking him to a reclining chair. “You just focus on feeling better. I’ll get something for in case you throw up, okay?”

Brenda fell into a seat on the other side of the library with a groan. “Oh, I feel terrible... this whole situation has my stomach turning in on itself...” 

“Calm down, woman.” Alan rolled his eyes as he walked for the globe cabinet again to top off his drink. “You’re being dramatic.” 

“No, I am not! Our little brother and little sister have been carried off by some mad ancient creature of darkness, or even the Krampus!” 

Lui wasn’t sure if that was meant to be a joke, or if the woman was getting confused. She was looking more pale than before as she rubbed her eyes and leaned back. 

“I have such a migraine right now... I swear I can barely even see.” 

As if tempted by her words, the lights in the room began to flicker. Everyone went silent as they waited to see if it would happen again, and with another flicker, the lights went out. The room was filled with dim long shadows cast by the dying fire, but the silence was short lived as the sound of strange distant childish giggling began to fill the room, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps and a dragging chain. It didn’t seem to be coming from the halls, but from all around... everyone began to stand except for Ryan and Brenda, who both remained seated, and slowly came together as a group looking to every doorway, every dark corner, looking for what might be coming. 

What came next was fast, and unexpected. The windows on every side of the library burst open, a rush of cold wind and icy mist flew in, rustling pages and attacking the weak fire. In the dark and cold, the sound of childish laughter grew into screams and the sound of the chain rattled like thunderous drums! In a panic, Alan and Hoyt turned and ran for the windows to close them, Hoyt pushing between Lui and Gabe, knocking them down in the process. Gabe stumbled back to his feet and rushed to help close the windows, Richard followed, but Lui cursed under his breath as he looked desperately on the ground in front of him, his hands sweeping from side to side over the thick rug. 

“Dammit! My contacts... I can’t see SHIT without my contacts...” Lui felt along the ground, having no luck, when he heard something screech nearby. He looked up, seeing shadows of the others at the windows, wrestling to get them closed, but then something else rushing through the room. It was covered in rags, dragging something behind... the last thing he saw before it seemed to melt into the shadow were two glowing red eyes.

The sounds died away steadily and quickly, and the lights flickered back on. The windows were finally closed and Gabe saw Lui on his hands and knees. “Lui, are you okay? You hurt?” He walked by, about to lean down and give his friend a hand when he heard a distinctive crunch under his foot. He lifted his foot to see, and then put it back down. “Oh...shhhhhhhit.” 

A few minutes later, everyone had gathered back around the dying fireplace. Hoyt was in a panic, his older brother doing his best to get him to drink something to calm down, but he was being inconsolable. Brenda was gone. When the lights had returned and everyone had been able to calm down, they found that her chair had been dragged away with her in it, the scuff marks leading to the wall, right next to the window. Ryan was still laying back on the recliner looking very pale and clutching his stomach. He was sick, and when he tried to stand up he got very dizzy and needed to fall back into his seat again. 

Lui looked annoyed. Not just for losing a second person so far, but because he was forced to put on his emergency glasses, the thick lenses tearing at his cool factor. Gabe looked ashamed for having stepped on his contacts, but Richard looked purely amused. 

“I swear, I had no idea you had brown eyes, you look so basic now.” The prep boy chuckled, fluttering his own baby blues before slipping on his green shades. 

“Shut up, Ricky, that isn’t the focus right now...” 

“I just thought your emerald gaze was like, your big charm in the videos~” 

“Ricky!” Lui looked like he wanted to kick at the rich kid, but Gabe was able to calm everyone down, despite Lui’s frustrations. “Whew... okay, we need to take an offensive approach to this. Obviously just keeping everyone in one place didn’t work, and we only have two brothers left...” 

“Which means...” Richard lowered his voice, glancing over Lui’s shoulder to the brothers near the liquor cabinet, “that maybe one of them is involved.” 

“Hmm...” Gabe squatted down and rubbed the back of his head. “But I was over at the window with Alan trying to close it...” 

“Yeah.” Richard tapped his right temple absently as he tried to think. “And I was with Hoyt at the other window... Ryan was in his chair, thankfully he wasn’t taken, and brown eyes here was flopping around like a blind cave fish.” 

“Gck!” Lui felt his teeth clench, but took a deep breath. Just take the joke... take the joke... “So they both have an alibi. But we can’t rule them out as suspects OR as victims. We need to keep them safe while we search for clues.” 

“Well,” Gabe glanced over to Ryan. “I don’t want to leave Ryan alone, he’s vulnerable like this.”

“Arf!” 

“Yeah, and Watson can stick with us too.” Gabe reached out to pet the dog, who had been hiding under Ryan’s chair since the lights had gone out. 

“Then Ricky and I can explore the halls.” They each nodded in turn. “Alright, gang. Time to split up.” 

“Why does that sound so familiar?” Gabe scratched his head curiously. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Richard walked slowly down the center of the hallway, his shades hanging from the pocket of his pink button front shirt, the sleeves rolled neatly just below the elbow. His eyes scanned left and right before he turned on his heels and began walking back. He’d been pacing for a few minutes now while Lui kept taking temperature readings and looking through a small inferred camera looking for head signatures. “I’m telling you, you’re wasting your time.” 

“We’ve had luck with ghosts before, so I’m telling YOU we don’t rule it out. Besides, if you’re so damned sure spirits aren’t involved, why did you even join the group?” Lui pocketed the laser thermometer with force, frustrated he wasn’t finding anything. 

“Trust me, I’d love to find anything.” Richard stopped and leaned against the wall with a small sigh. “My parents have made a mint on the supernatural, so I’ve been engrained with a modicum of belief. I want to be able to prove it to myself, instead of just taking everyone’s word for it. I’d hate to think my parents have made money peddling lies...” 

“Hmm... come on, let’s start checking the other rooms.” Lui started leading the way down the hall, finding his way to a large kitchen. nothing seems to have been touched in a long time, but he started looking around anyways. “So your dad was, what, a movie star?”

“Oh man, if only... If he was a big pretender I could understand it’s all a game. No, he produces and directs horror and supernatural documentary films. He puts so much belief into it all that he convinces thousands of people that they’re not just watching a film but learning the truth. He feeds off of that...” Richard wandered around the kitchen, opening drawers and looking at cooking utensils that haven’t been used in years. Cold ovens and cooktops polished clean. “My mom is no better... her company sells spiritualism as a way to heal, or discover hidden truths... literally plays at summoning spirits and exercising ghosts... has a whole company based on it. If it’s all a bunch of bull, then my whole family is based off of lies. So...” He sighed and walked to the next door, peeking through a circular window, seeing an immense dining hall. “Well, I haven’t seen any proof. But I hope to. I just have a lot of doubt.” 

“Hmm...” Lui walked by and stopped for a moment next to Richard. The boy was dripping with money, but that doubt must be painful if it meant knowing everything he had was a scam. Lui couldn’t relate, but it made some sense anyways. “Well, you should stick around. We’ll end up finding something to prove it to you. If not today, then maybe next time. Besides, you’re not bad company really. But you should put a bit of your comfort aside and join the rest of us on the floor when we get back to the cabin.” He pushed through the double doors to the dining room. “It’s part of the adventure you know.” 

“Yeah yeah...” The two walked inside, a long table with at least 30 chairs stretched down the room, the ceiling high with strange patterns painted on, three chandeliers hanging above the table. Dark wood walls hung with portraits and landscape paintings, and a fireplace somehow even larger than the one in the library. The table was actually set with dishes and cutlery, surely for tour groups to see it in all its wonder. 

“Hmm... nothing seems out of the ordinary.” Richard dragged his finger down the table as he walked, checking it for dust as if out of habit. “Maybe we should start looking into the bedrooms. Might be a bit of an invasion of privacy but... Lui?”

Lui didn’t hear Richard’s words. In fact, he didn’t even register his presence in the room anymore. As Lui had neared the fireplace, it’s as if he was walking into thicker and thicker air that muffled the sounds around him and held away any of the warmth of the crackling fire. He felt every step was becoming more difficult as well. Struggling to walk normally, Lui finally stopped and took a deep breath and sighed. His eyes widened as his breath came out a fine cold mist as if he were standing in an ice box. The edge of his vision started to become foggy, and he started to notice the edges of his glasses were beginning to creep with frost. He looked around, finding the room dark, the walls bare of their paintings, the table covered in large serving trays. The smell hit him hard, the rot and must, as he noticed the food was grey with mold and practically melting away, the wine glasses stained and covered in dust and cobwebs, and decorative flowers wilted and weeping. He turned back to the fire, which sank down, sputtering in blue flames before the smoke sank like a blanket of fog, covering the room. The frost on his glasses grew until he was almost blind, and he was forced to take them off, blinking with his unfocused eyes through the mist, trying to see anything. A red glow... those eyes. They found him, he was at the end of the dining room, towards the next hall. 

Feeling cold and winded, Lui ran toward the figure, knowing that if he could catch it that he’d be able to know who it was parading around this facade. Who was pulling the strings, making a grab for this inheritance. He ran for the door, the hulking deformed figure quickly slipping through and out of sight. As Lui turned the corner, he saw only the eyes of the figure turn back before turning halfway down the hall, slipping seemingly through the wall before disappearing. Lui ran after it and pushed against the wall, but feeling nothing but the warm stone. The feeling of warmth seemed to sink into him, and he started hearing something else... a voice.

“LUI! Seriously, what the HELL has gotten into you!” Richard was panting, and gave a cough as he pulled Lui’s shoulder, turning the boy to face him. “I swear, you ignore me, and then that fog bellows in, and you’re just gone without a word!? Fuck you, dude...” 

Lui looked around, the darkness and cold gone, but a trail of fog coming from the dining room spilling into the hall. “The... fog? Wait, did...” Lui took Richard’s wrist and pulled him back to the dining room. The fire was glowing full and orange, the table empty but for the set cutlery, but a mist was definitely hanging in the air. “Did I see... Hey, did you see the Krampus? Just now?”

“Did I... No! You stopped answering me, started freaking out in front of the fireplace, and then that fog spilled down the chimney and you ran.” Richard pushed his fingers through his hair in frustration. “Guh, it smells awful... But that’s stage fog for you. The better the fog, the worse the smell in my experience.” 

Lui was lost in thought about what he’d seen. He looked at his glasses, clean and clear of frost. Was it all staged somehow? He slipped them back on. “Wait... so this is stage fog?”

“Yeah. My dad uses it on movies all the time. It doesn’t dissipate quickly because of the added glycol in the water, but the better chemicals for the effect stink like old rancid syrup.” Richard sniffed and waved his hand in front of him to disperse a bit of the fog. “I think someone’s trying to scare us off. What do you think?” 

Lui looked back at where he thought he’d seen the creature, and walked back with Richard to look at it more closely. He knocked against the stone wall. “Hmm... Hey, if you were gonna have a trick door here...” 

“Here? Hallways are tricky, because you need to hide the catch or switch.” Richard glanced up and down the hall. “Probably one of the portraits. Either it’s a switch on the frame or it’s hidden behind it.” 

“Let’s look. Just in case.” 

The two searched the hall, and to Richard’s credit they actually found a hole in the stone behind one of the paintings the size of a half dollar with a cable pulled taught through. Pulling the cable, they heard a click within the wall, and with a push, they found themselves in a thin secret pathway between the walls. They slipped inside and followed it until they found themselves in what felt like a small storage room with another secret door that pulled open, leading outside into the wind and snow. More interestingly, the snow had a line of divets right in front of the door. With a slight careful brush, they found they were large hoof prints buried in new snow. They closed the door and looked around the area, and found a cloak made up of tattered rags, a large empty sack, and a pair of maybe foot-tall silts with thick hoofed feet. 

“Well...” Richard held up one of the stilts. “Still think we’re going to find the Krampus sneaking around?”

“But who’s doing it? And where are they putting the kidnapped people?” 

The two thought in silence for a moment. Then Richard grinned. “Have you ever seen Home Alone?”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Gabe had twice needed to break up Alan and Hoyt from getting into a real fight. The alcohol had been getting to the older brother, and Hoyt’s sober panic in contrast wasn’t helping at all. Ryan had finally gotten back to his feet, feeling embarrassed for having caused such hassle, but now they were fully vested in keeping the remaining brother safe. Watson stuck close to Ryan, looking up at him as they paced around, as if to make sure he was going to be okay.

It was such a relief when Lui and Richard came back, the boys looking suspiciously around the room. Lui approached the rest of the gang while Richard slipped off towards the bookshelves on one side of the room. 

“Hey.” Lui came over and pat Ryan on the back. “You good?”

“Yeah... sorry.” The string from Ryan’s hoody was between his teeth. “I hope I didn’t make a mess of things.” 

“Not at all. In fact, I’m glad you’re up, we need you.” Lui glanced over at the Wagner brothers, who had turned back to back with each other like a couple of children having a fit. He lowered his voice a bit. “We’ve got a plan, but we need you guys to come into the hall, and we can’t let Alan and Hoyt know where we’re going.” 

Gabe leaned a bit closer. “Doesn’t that leave them exposed? I mean... we’ve been watching for any foul play this whole time and haven’t seen anything but-“

“Holms, don’t think too hard, just trust me.” Lui winked and nodded toward the door. The three plus Watson backed away quietly to the hall, where Richard joined them. “You find it?”

“Yep. Third shelf from the far wall.” Richard grinned and lead the way down the hall, stepping over something down a little ways. “Watch the wire.” 

Ryan lifted an eyebrow and looked, only barely able to make out a trip wire across the hall. “Has... wait, have you guys been setting up booby traps?” He was careful stepping over the wire, but Lui held Gabe back. 

“Holms, you and Watson are with me.” He said, pulling him back towards the door. “Now, Richard will take care of Ryan. Let me tell you the plan...”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
Back in the library, Alan and Hoyt paced and refused to talk to one another. Alan swirled the scotch in his glass, his eyes unfocused as he felt himself succumbing to the unease of the events. It should be daylight in the next few hours, but even if he wanted to run from this horror... could he even get away? 

Hoyt was no longer showing that panicked fear. He seemed more nervous and agitated, checking his watch, looking from the bookshelves to the hallway door and back. He paced faster, wondering where the boys had gone, why they’d left them alone. 

The lights flickered, and both men quickly came to a sudden halt. They looked up at the lights and waited in silence. The fire had all but died out, the ash crusted logs popping softly in small bursts of orange. The sound of children began, and Alan quickly approached his brother and pulled the other man behind him. Despite his fears, he would do everything he could to at least protect his own blood. 

The room fell into darkness. The faint glow of the fireplace barely strong enough to even cast shadows of its iron grates across the rug, the windows illuminated by snuffed moonlight reflecting in the falling snow. The sound was getting louder, and then Alan saw them. Two glowing red eyes... 

“Now!” Lui kicked the door in from the hallway and held up a flashlight as well as Ryan’s camera! The scene in front of him was chaotic, with the older brother Alan collapsed on the floor, his younger brother Hoyt holding a heavy book up from behind him, and a mass of rags, horns, and glowing red eyes was squat down in front of them, long grey fingered claws holding onto Alan’s arm about to pull him away. 

Gabe rushed in from behind Lui and sprinted for the bookshelves where he was told followed by Watson, who barked excitedly at the chance to be useful! The Krampus stood and awkwardly turned, taking long strides for the wall, but Lui turned the light and showed that the opening in the bookshelves that lead to his secret passage way was being guarded by Gabe, who lifted a small table over his head threateningly, and the barking Watson! Lui rushed into the room, leaving the hallway door unguarded as he checked to make sure Alan was not hurt. As he did, Hoyt and the Krampus both rushed through the darkness for the door! 

As they ran through the door and rushed down the hallway, The Krampus’s long hooved feet caught a nearly invisible wire that stretched across the floor, tripping and tumbling him to the ground, shortly followed by Hoyt who stumbled over the Krampus’s large form. 

“Alright, Ryan! Pull!” Richard grunted as he and Ryan pulled hard at a pair of ropes that laid over the hallway rug, around and underneath and back again. As they pulled, the rug lifted and rolled, wrapping around and rolling the culprits in the process! Ryan and Richard continued to pull, rolling the men over and over again into a thicker and thicker bind, until finally they reached the end of the hall. Giving each other a high five, the boys went to one side of the hall and grabbed a tall shelf of oak, and each gave a heave, pushing the shelf over to land on top of and pin the men in place. 

Ryan jumped in excitement! “Yes! Alright! Hah... Now we can find out who they REALLY are!” 

“Well...” Richard held up his cell phone. “We should probably call the police first...”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“... and that’s how we caught them, officer.” Gabe rubbed the back of his head, hoping he’d remembered everything correctly. The four boys were grouped together in front of a refueled fireplace, the lights of the library lighting the room once more, which now had a handful of policemen standing on either side of a thick roll of hallway rug with the heads of Hoyt and the Krampus sticking out the top, as well as Brenda, Alan, and Jennifer all seated wearing thick blankets over their shoulders. 

“I see.” A particularly large officer with a thick black mustache tapped at his notes. “So you came here as investigators... Witnessed numerous kidnappings... deduced the culprits... and laid a trap to capture them. THEN you called the police?”

“Ahem... well, if you put it like that, officer...” 

Lui stepped forward. “We tried to reach the police but the phone service wasn’t getting through. Probably the storm.” Lying was sometimes the best policy. “And aren’t you more interested in how we found out who was behind the kidnappings?”

The officer sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I have a feeling you’re about to tell me...” 

“Well-“

Richard cut in. “The first clue was in the timing. While the whole town had spoken about the Krampus, there have been no missing person’s case in decades, but the moment a large amount of money was involved it just shows up about of nowhere? BIG coincidence.” 

Ryan stepped forward next. “And when we first came into the house, everyone had snow on their shoes except for two pair, which were also crusted with mud. So that meant there were at least two people in the house who had been separated from everyone else at some point.”

Gabe pulled Ryan and Richard back by their collars as he picked up. “A big clue was when one of our companions got very ill.” 

Ryan waved. “That was me.” 

“And after considering his illness it was deduced that the two people who had gotten ill were those with ice in their drinks. However I also had ice and didn’t get sick, and that’s because both Ryan here and Brenda have a habit of crunching their ice!”

Watson hopped up on his hind legs to stand in front of Gabe. “Arf!!” 

The police chief raised an eyebrow. 

Lui pushed the dog out of the way. “Yeah yeah, what he said, but anyways, the next clue came from when Richard and I went looking for clues. We were able to find a hidden passageway that lead between the walls to the outside where we found not only Krampus footprints, but the stilts that MADE them!” 

“And-“ Richard added, “I also was able to determine that the mist being pumped through the house was stage fog. By the smell.” He gave a knowing nod. “It’s the glycol.” 

“Uh huh...” The officer nodded. “The uh... glycol.” 

“Now!” Lui continued. “Only one of the siblings would have the ability to pull this off. The only one who was near their father when he died, who would have had access to the will and known the condition of staying in the house to CLAIM the inheritance, and who has spent enough time in the house to know about the hidden passage ways and automated light and sound systems! Holms, would you?”

Gabe nodded and walked up to the Krampus, grabbing the large curled horns and lifting, the rubber mask stretching before popping off. 

The family and officers all gasped, stating almost in unison, “William Wagner!” 

“And!” Richard raised a finger for attention. “His brother Hoyt. He needed someone to keep the rest of the family in place while they worked to either scare off or kidnap and remove them.” 

“But...” Brenda walked in front of her bound up little brothers. “But why?”

“Gah!” William shook his head in disgust. “You and that damn Alan have always looked down on us, just because we’re your half brothers! Just because dad married again, you never thought of us as family... so when I heard there were contingencies on getting the inheritance, I knew Hoyt and I could get you all to leave and we would take the money... but poor Jennifer overheard our plans and wanted to warn you, so we had to get rid of her first and lock her in the wood shed on the other side of the property. Dad had shown me all of the secret passage ways that had been built over a century ago, and in his old age he’d had me install automatic lights and windows and sound systems, so I knew I could scare you all off...”

“Ha!” Lui came and pointed at William triumphantly. “And when Richard and I were getting too close, you tired to scare us off in the dining room by adjusting the gas flow to the fireplace and filling the room with smoke and cold air from outside!”

“What?” William scoffed. “I just poured some mist in there to keep you guessing... I can’t control the fireplace, they’re wood burning, not gas.” 

“W-... what, really? But then...” 

“And I would have gotten away with it too! if it weren’t for-“

“Arf!”


End file.
